DREAMING DANGEROUSLY (Children of the Psi 1.0)

Chapter 3: Center of Attention Part 2

I hoist my backpack onto my shoulder again and find my next class, creative writing. Along with science, writing is one of my favorite subjects. Maybe my day will improve. It certainly can't get any worse. As I wait for the bell to ring, my pocket buzzes with a text from Annie.

ANNIE: where r u

ME: 4th period

The bell rings and a rush of students explode into the hallways.

ANNIE: r u ok

ME: yes ttyl

After I hit send, a hand flattens in front of me, palm-up. "No cell phones during school hours."

Angry eyes of a woman with the jowls of a bulldog and red-dyed hair glare back at me. She points to a sign posted next to her classroom door. "Hand it over," she growls at me, waving her fingers, impatiently.

I panic and mind-drop her, without thinking about the voices.

New girl. Already breaking the rules. Who does she think she is?

This is so unfair! Why couldn't Annie read minds, too? Then, I wouldn't have to text her.

Home-schooling Reason #7:

Cell phone usage is allowed ANYTIME.

The teacher clomps away from me in her thick, low heels while I wait in the back of her classroom for an empty seat to materialize. The other students file past me to their seats. "You're in my way," a girl says to me.

"Sorry." I move away from her desk.

"Hey, Mrs. Lunley! There's a new girl in class!" A red-headed guy with a huge hickey on his neck states the obvious, pointing to me.

"Yes, I know, Brian." Mrs. Lunley frowns.

Does the woman ever smile?

She points to a girl who sits in the front row. "Heather, move to that last seat on the far row and you..." she points to me and taps the desk in front of her. "...new girl, sit right here."

I slide down in the designated seat, tucking a stray blonde wave behind my ear. I can't believe she actually made another student move so I have to sit here where everyone can look at me. Yet, I can't see any of them.

Perfect.

My day? Definitely NOT improving.

At least Lunley gave me my phone back at the end of class.

***

When physics rolls around, I'm relieved to be going to my last class of the day. As soon as I walk inside, some guy signals me. Blonde spikes of hair erupt from the middle of his head in a fake Mohawk.

"Cassie, right? Here have a seat." He pats the empty seat next to him.

What's with these guys at this school? Haven't they ever seen a new student before? I glance around and notice there aren't many available seats.

"Have I met you?"

"Sorry, I'm Chris. Chris Ford. From the lunch table?" He smiles back at me.

I want to mind-drop him to see if his smile matches his thoughts, but after what happened in the cafeteria, I decide against it. He seems harmless, so I sit down next to him.

"Hey, I hear you're from the backwoods of Palmetto Key," Chris says.

I laugh. "You ain't never been there, have ya?" I use a ridiculously terrible Southern accent. "Cuz youda seen there's front woods, too!"

"Ha! That's good!" he laughs.

Chris is smooth. His voice. His mannerisms. All smooth. He's helped me to relax and laugh a little, which I need after what happened in the cafeteria and in my last class. Besides, he has really pretty blue eyes.

Our physics teacher tells us to do the assignment posted on the board, and I open the textbook on my desk.

"So, do you have plans this weekend?" Chris whispers.

Great. Another Romeo.

Trying not to roll my eyes, I tell Chris I have to work at Duncan's this weekend, and then I start talking about our assignment, hoping he'll get the hint I'm not interested in more than friendship.