Mind Reader

First Sight

My story begins in the cereal aisle at the grocery store.

Well, okay, not really. It began when I was born sixteen years ago to two absolutely normal, perfectly common parents. Just your average baby, right?

Wrong.

Because I am not a normal kid.

I can read minds.

I tried telling my parents once, a long time ago, but they just thought I was being my typical imaginative kindergartener self, making up stories. Only, I wasn't.

After that, I realized I shouldn't tell people. They might lock me up in a mental institution, or give me to the government for experimenting. And I couldn't have that.

So I kept my power secret.

Anyways, back to the grocery store. I was standing in the cereal aisle with my friend Ella, trying to pick out a delicious cereal for tomorrow morning after our sleepover. I could hear Ella's thoughts: Should I be responsible and pick the Fruit Bran? Or be happy and go with Choco Puffies?

Ella was petite and delicate looking, but she could probably break your arm. She was a dancer, and way stronger than she looked. Her frizzy black hair was often up in a bun, but now she had it in a low ponytail. I had always been jealous of her creamy dark skin that never seemed to break out. Her dark eyes could stun you into silence. In short, she was beautiful.

I swept my dirty blond hair out of my face and examined the cereals. "Let's go with the Choco Puffies," I said. I didn't really like them, but Ella loved them, and there are many sacrifices people are willing to make for their best friend.

Then I noticed the kids on the other end of the aisle. They looked around my age, but what was most noticeable were their clothes.

It was the dead of summer in Dead Tree, Texas. Everybody who knew what was good for them was wearing shorts, tank tops, and flip-flops. But these kids were different.

The girl had on long jeans under snow boots that looked like they were made of deerskin and fur– hopefully fake. Her shirt was red and she had on a jacket. It was one of those jackets where the body was denim, like a vest, but the sleeves were from a sweater. I'd secretly always wanted one of those, but I knew it was way too hot here. Her brown hair was in a high ponytail and just barely reached her shoulders. Her blue eyes looked angry, and she seemed to be glaring as she surveyed the area.

The boy was dressed only slightly more reasonably in khaki pants with a gray T-shirt. His black hair was short, but messy, as if he'd traveled through a small windstorm to get here. His skin was darker than the girl's pale whiteness, but lighter than Ella's. He might have been from India, but I wasn't sure.

I elbowed Ella. "Hey, look at those kids," I whispered. "Haven't they ever heard of Texas's heat?"

Ella looked up. "What kids?" She asked. "Izzy, there's nobody there."

"Those ones, right there!" I exclaimed. "At the end of the aisle, in the warm clothes!" I wondered if this was Ella playing a joke. How could she not see them? I listened to her thoughts.

What is Isabelle talking about? There isn't anybody there!

"Izzy, I don't see anyone." Her expression was troubled.

I smiled. "Just kidding!" I said, and laughed tightly. I tried to reach out to the mysterious people, but they seemed to have a block of some sort. "Let's go. We'll have so much fun tonight, right?"

I didn't understand how Ella couldn't see the people, but we headed out towards the checkout counter.

After one long look back at the cereal aisle, I paid and we left the store.

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A/N: Thank you so much for trying out my story! I hope you like it, and I'll try to update regularly. Once again, thank you for reading and if you liked it, please vote or comment!