The Mind Games

21

"And as long as I'm with you guys, I'm a danger to everyone. I hate to say it, but I think I just make things worse of the group," I breathe out an exasperated sigh, and shake my head. Maddie's poker face softens slightly, and I see understanding in her eyes.

"I know. But you and Naomi are in the same position. She'll never be normal either. She's going to be hunted for the rest of her life too. And Andrew," Maddie reaches out as though she wants to comfort me, but I jerk away. I know she won't, but I'm not in the mood for testing it, "the worst thing is, she's just a kid. Even if she does know where to find someone who would take her, what are the odds of her actually being happy there?"

Maddie's words are a slap to the face, I remember what she had to go through. Her parents don't want her. She's right. Even if someone were to take Naomi, there's no chance she would actually be happy. She'll never be normal. She'll never be able to hide it like the other's can. Not for too long. She'll have to move from place to place constantly.

That's no way to grow up. No one deserves that. That lab was supposed to be a halfway house for us. Someplace to help us learn how to control our curses, and then we would be returned to our normal lives.

To think about it, only really Greens and Blues would be remotely let back into society. The mind readers, mind controlers, telepaths, and whatever the heck I am, we're dangerous. A minice to society.

I sigh, returning to reality as the wind starts to pick up, cutting through my light jacket, "Her parents don't even want her anymore," I mumble so only Maddie could hear.

"You saw?"

I nod slowly, feeling sluggish and hollow on the inside, "When they came looking for us."

All Maddie can muster is a simple, 'oh' and she shuts her laptop. The wind had begun to pick up, causing the loose hairs in her ponytail to come flying out, no longer restrained by her hair tie.

I turn to retreat to the indoors, away from the sharp cold wind that causes my ears to pinken, "Where's Ember?" I ask, noting I hadn't seen her since I woke up.

"She went with Thal. Said it was important. No one agrued," Maddie shrugs, opening the door for me. I wonder what would be so important that an edgy teenage girl and a punk-rock college student would take off like that.

We spend about an hour playing cards, and the two girls rewatch that movie again. I think I'll watch it tonight when everyone has gone to bed. It seems pretty good. The slamming of the door of the pick up truck at enough to draw my attention away from my hand, and to the window.

A beaten Ember hobbles down the driveway, as she smiles and waves goodbye to Thal. She's got new bruises forming all over her face, and it looks like she could've quite possibly broken her nose. Yet, Ember smiles. Like she's happy about all the damage that was done to her.

"Welcome home, Ember," I drawl, returning my attention to obliterating the Master of Math and Card Games at her own game. So far it's not going as well as I had planned...

"Don't ask," She warns the rest of the group, clearly reading their minds.

"Wasn't planning on it," I sneer, knowing she wouldn't know if I was or not, do to the mental barrier that has been graciously bestowed upon myself by some freak chemical reaction.

"Oh, yeah, right," Ember sneers, I also earn an eye roll. I'm on a roll today!

We spend the rest of the day idle, all wondering what kind of trouble Ember had gotten into with Thal. She looks so focused, so... What's the word I'm looking for..?

So determined.

Grandma comes out for dinner, and I can see the effects we are having on her. She's already starting to grow tired, she can't keep up with six mutants. Not at her age.

Her eyes immediately land on Ember, scanning over her body, taking note of all the cuts and bruises she has visible. Ember's smile fades quickly once she sees Grandma, and she turns around, avoiding meeting her eyes.

"Y-You're not going to ask..?" Ember stutters, gawking at Grandma who winks at her, "I was a teenage girl once, too," She winks, and Ember grips onto the granite counter for support.

"G-Grandma!" I stammer, "W-You- I-"

"-Stories for another time, Andrew."

We eat dinner, the six of us talking about memories of parents and childhood before science ruined our lives. I'm still always impressed that Maddie sticks with it, I mean- After all we've gone through on the subject. Honestly, I think I would rather take up writing than that.

With that, Maddie pulls out the laptop, and separately she pulls Cole and Ember out of the room to discuss with them their parents. Naomi watches with dazzling eyes as Cole returns to the kitchen, with his poker face on.

Naomi seems like she desperately hopes she's next, and I know what I have to do, "Naomi," I say, and a brilliant smile tugs at her lips as she predicts what I will say next, "We need to talk," I try to smile, but it comes out sad and pained.

Naomi gets the hint, and her smile turns into a face of worry and anxiety as we exit the kitchen. I walk her to the bedroom, where I pat the bed for her to sit on it.

"Naomi, we made contact with your parents..." I begin, and a clear rim starts to form on Naomi's lower eyelids.

"They don't want me," A single tear falls down her small face, "do they?"

I shake my head sadly, "No, they- They still don't want to see you," My words are soft and gentle, trying to help the blow, but nothing is going to take the sting out of the pain of not being wanted by your own family.

"I-I knew it," Naomi sniffles, pulling up the sleeve on her shirt to wipe her nose with. I open my mouth to say something to try to comfort her, but I can't. I don't have any words for her.

I sit there for several minutes, just allowing the poor soul to cry. She needs to get it all out, so I let her.

"Naomi..." I mummer softly, "Maddie and I have decided it would be in your best interest if you stayed with Kayla and I."

Naomi nods her head slowly. The movemnt looks painful and slow, like it had drained all her energy just to do that simple task.

"I promise, no one will ever hurt you again, Naomi. I promise."