Chapter 1
“Extraordinary”
For about 2 hours, I had been listening to my history teacher in front of the class. It was the same routine that I had to be stuck with on Friday. I was always praying to God at this time of the day to just make Mr. Kurt let us go home and then, I would go chilling out my Friday night early. Mr. Kurt was the history teacher who was so obsessed with the past. I saw his mouth opening up and down which was so boring to me. He talked about some nonsense things that I never ever got the idea of it. I hated to study history because I didn’t understand why people had to dig it up and study it again and again since, for real, we should put more details on future than history. It didn’t make any sense for me that the past would help anything except remember and regret.
My attention was back to the present time as I saw Mr. Kurt glanced to see the time on his own watch. So, I did the same thing but I had to glance to the clock hanging above the classroom’s door because I forgot to bring mine this morning. Well, it was ten minutes left. I was going to be free.
Thought of the time before the class ended, I made myself sat straight and looked directly to Mr. Kurt. Doing this was one of my tricks making him see that I was still with his lesson, so, I won’t be the one who had to answer his question before going home. I glanced to the clock again, well, it’s time.
“Now, before I’m going to end the class, I want to -” Before he could finish his sentence, he was convened by some phone’s ringtone. He stopped and searched for whose it is. Oh. Crap. It was my stupid damn phone. My dad was calling. I dropped the call and looked directly to see Mr. Kurt. Now, he was looking at me too, also, my classmates.
“Oh. I’m sorry, Mr. Kurt. I forgot to -” Then, he raised his hand, telling me to stop.
“That’s okay, Miss -” He paused. I had no doubt why he couldn’t remember my name. I stood up and answered him.
“Bales, sir.”
“Okay. Now, Miss Bales. Would you mind if I ask you some question?”
Oh. Yes, sir. I didn’t want to answer any of your questions. I wanted to go home. And I was pretty sure that the question was going to be so hard that I would not be able to answer and then, I had to be stuck for one more hour with you and your beloved history. But I couldn’t force myself to speak like that anyway. I didn’t want to end up two hours instead of one. So, I answered him, “No, sir.”
“Great.” He walked back to his own thick book to search for the question. “I saw you were paying a lot of attention to my class lately. So, you should be able to answer my question. Umm… Which year was the World War II end, Miss Bales?”
My eyes went wide after I heard the question. Now. Great. I absolutely was going to spend an hour with him for sure. I had no idea what the answer was and which one was I supposed to guess. I held my head up to look into his eyes and then, I saw him smirking. That’s the disgusting smirk I had ever got. It’s your intention right, Mr. Kurt? I asked him in my mind. It seemed like he felt so good asking me this. I closed my eyes, tried to think of the answer and the lesson that I turned into deaf to. I heard noise from all around me. I guessed my classmates were talking about how hard the question was. I heard him said it once at the beginning of the class. Try to think, Ches. What is it!
“Can you answer, Miss Bales?” He asked me and suddenly, the class fell into silence again. They all were staring at me. I could see his face. It was flouting me. “Well, if you can’t -”
“It’s - ” I spoke slowly as I heard someone saying something in my head.
It’s 1945. Please make a right guess, Ches!
Now, it’s time for me to sneer him back. I hope this one would be the correct answer. So, I guessed it out slowly. “It’s 1945, isn’t it, sir?” The whole class fell into silence again also Mr. Kurt. I saw his mouth opened up a little bit.
“That’s right.” What! It’s correct? Oh, thank god. “Well, Good job, Miss Bales. It’s absolutely unbelievable. Well, please take a seat.”
“Thank you, sir.” I sighed and sat down. I could see my classmates looked at me with astonishment. I turned my face away. I looked through the window to see the sky. Now, I had to wait for another bad luck boy answering the question. Not that bad, though. His question was still easier than mine. I looked at my pencil box. I gathered my pencil and rubber inside it. Then, I thought of the sound that was in my head. It’s 1945. Please make a right guess, Ches. Well, I was quite sure at that time, the whole class was absolutely quiet. No one was going to kill his or her self whispering the answer for me. But how could I hear it? Or there might be the one who was brave enough to do it. I thought about how the sound was like and then, I realized that it was Jessica’s. She sat right next to me. It might be possible if she was trying to tell me the answer. So, I decided to turn to her direction and stared at her to make her feel my look. Then, she turned her face to me and smiled. I smiled back then I moved my mouth into a word, thank you. But suddenly her face turned to be confused and then she replied me back in silent, for what. Wha- What? Now, I was confused too. It meant that it wasn’t her who told me the answer? I was going to say the next words but then she turned her face back to Mr. Kurt’s direction. I could hear what Mr. Kurt said but I still struggled of what Jessica said to me.
“Don’t forget to review for the test on Monday. Have a good weekend.”
Then, she stood up and walked directly out of the class while I was still sitting down and reassuring myself that it had to be her.
Right now, I was on my way to my locker. I hadn’t had a chance to continue the conversation with Jessica yet. She seemed to be disappeared after the class. I still wanted to know what actually was going on when I answered the question. Jessica said for what to me, so, it seemed that she wasn’t the one who told me the answer. I walked as fast as I could to my locker, so, I could quickly gather things and then went to find Jessica. I stopped in front of my locker and opened it. I grabbed my bag out of the locker and then put my biology textbook inside. This weekend, I had to do history reviewing for next Monday quiz. So, I needed history book with. I packed it inside my bag and then, followed by my pencil box and my glasses’ box. Finishing packing things, I closed the locker’s door and locked it. Then, there’s somebody poking me on my shoulder. I turned around to see who and it was Jessica. “Oh, hey.”
“Well, hi, Ches. Well… About what you said in the classroom -” She was hugging her books and looking at me, worried and questionable. “I don’t think that I deserve any thank you from you.”
“Oh! Why not?” I frowned a little. I saw her looking at her feet.
“Well. You… because I haven’t done anything for you. So, I don’t think there’s the reason for you to thank me.”
“Oh.” Wait. Now, it’s getting weird. But it made sense for me if Jessica wasn’t the one who told me the answer.
“You know you’re so smart in the class. How can you answer it correctly? I thought you dislike this class. Well, you had to guess it, right?” I could feel her voice went thicker and louder in the last sentence like she wanted me to tell her the truth. My mouth opened up a little. Now, it’s completely weird. She stared at me with very serious eyes.
“Yeah, well, yeah, I have guessed it. I felt that this is it. Maybe, I heard Mr. Kurt said it at the beginning of the class. And I may be good at guessing, you know.” I answered and then smiled a little to her, nervously. I thought I better play along with her. If I told her that I heard the answer from someone she might think that I was cheating and my helper might also get into trouble. She smiled back with relieve. I could see that all her worry had been washed out in some ways. And then, she did her right hand in the way to tell me that she was going.
“So, you’re lucky with that.” She chuckled. “Actually, I came after you for just to know all these. I just wanted to make sure that your thank means to nothing because I haven’t done anything for you and you’re so smart with guessing things. It’s good for you to just guess it. I wish I could be like you somehow.” I heard she giggled. “Well, I’m going to be late for family’s dinner, I’ve got to go. See you on Monday, Ches.”
“See you, Jess.” I saw her moving on her way. So, I turned around to face my locker. Now, I was confused. She told me she didn’t do anything for me, so, it meant that she didn’t tell me the answer. She wanted to make sure that I was just guessing the answer. No sound, no help.
“Jessica!” I shouted. She stopped and turned to me. She tilted her neck a little. She said, “Yes?”
I ran slowly to her. “Can I ask you something?”
“Yes? What is it?”
“Umm… I just want to know that… Well. When I was going to answer, the classroom was silent, right? I mean… did it seem like everyone was feeling the same way as me? Terrified? Confused?” I looked into her eyes, spoke nervously and ended up with little gigs in my throat. I tried to think of words that could make her less suspected.
“Oh. Well. Yeah, at that time, I could tell you that the class was completely silent. No one dared to speak. But I think they’re supporting you and wishing for you inside.”
“Oh, right. Thank you. I just wanted to know that I did make everybody worried about me or not. Well, good to know that they still care about me.” I tried to laugh, so, she wouldn’t notice anything. “Well, Thanks again, Jess. This time is real for it. Have a good weekend.”
“You too, Ches.” She smiled and then went to the door and I couldn’t see her anymore.
It’s getting a little hot inside this car. I barely knew myself about what I was doing in here. My conscious was fading little by little. I could feel his passionate hand moving along the line of my upper leg, slightly up and down. Another hand of his was embracing tightly around my waist. We had been out of town for about an hour. He drove me to the same lake that we always spent our Friday night. We always bought Subways to be our dinner. While I was going to take my third bite, he was leaning to kiss me which happened so often that I didn’t have to deny it. But this time it’s getting out of control, I dropped my Subways when he held me up to sit on his car’s hood. I used my hand to grab his head. My brain became blurred. I could feel my body turning hot. I couldn’t refuse all his touches. I didn’t want to.
Then, I realized again when I was now in the car with him. I sat on his lap. We were still kissing and it’s getting deeper and deeper. Now, his shirt was gone. I could feel my sweat flowing down on my cheek. I laid my hands upon his chest. It was thick and strong. He moved his hand from touching my upper leg; he made it into my shirt. Both his hands drove me crazy. Suddenly, he pulled my shirt off, left only the black brassiere that covered my upper body. I felt cold and little embarrassing but that feeling had been driven away when I felt his mouth touching my neck and then my shoulder. It made me feel dizzy. I slowed down his actions by holding his head to face mine. Our foreheads were against each other. I could feel his warm breathe on my mouth. My two hands were touching softly on his cheeks; both of them were pretty red. I looked into his blue eyes. I could his smile in them and then I leaned closer and closer until our mouths touched again. I could feel his smile in this kiss and it made me wanted him more and more. I didn’t know how it’s going to be an end or when it could be stopped. But I guessed we both didn’t want to stop it, anyway.
She was pretty good. Maybe even better. Hmm…
Suddenly I stopped. My feeling was dropped down. I pulled my face out of his. “Who’s better, Eric?”
“What?” He stopped and looked at me. Both of his hands were grabbing on my waist.
“Did you say something?”
“No. I didn’t. We were kissing. How could I speak…?”
“No. No. I heard it. I heard something.”
“Oh. Come on, Ches. It’s just you and me here. Or are you afraid?” He chuckled and then hugged me. He pulled my body against his.
“Hey, I’m not. I’m not afraid. But -” He was kissing my lips. My voice disappeared. “Please, could you just stop for a bit?!” I put my hand against his chest, pushing him out. I could feel his heart beating as fast as mine.
“What’s going on, Chesel?”
“I really HEARD something.”
“I said nothing!”
“I heard it! It was like pretty good or even better or something!” I could see the shock in his face. He turned his face away from me. “Hey, Eric.” I grabbed it back with my two hands. “Are you alright, babe? Why do you have to be so shocked?”
“Well, no, it’s nothing. I didn’t say anything. Trust me. Maybe you felt dizzy or trembling or something.”
“Yeah, maybe. You make me nervous. You know.” We both laughed.
“Are you sure you still want to do this?” He asked while leaning closer to me. I knew he want me and he knew I want him too. I kissed his lips in the way to tell him that no one was going to stop us now. I kept busy about his lips and his touches. I forgot about the voice I heard. My hands ran through his hair. It was soft like silk and wet like clay. I pulled his hair up and then, push his face against mine. My mouth ran from his forehead, passed his nose, his cheeks and then it was going to be his mouth. But suddenly, I heard.
How can she possibly know that?
“Know what?” I whispered while he was still busy around my neck. He didn’t answer me. “Now, Eric. Stop it. Now!” I pushed him away and then climbed out of the car. He followed me.
“Hey, what’s the matter, babe?” He was coming after and pulling me to him. He was hugging me from the back. I felt his chin on my right shoulder while I was crossing my arms and looking to the river.
“What do you mean that I possibly know something? Know what?”
“What?! I didn’t say anything like that.” He turned my body around, so, I could face him.
“But I heard you said.” I stepped back from him for two steps. “Why? Is it too secrecy that you can’t even tell me?” I was looking at him. I still didn’t understand why it’s so important to him. I didn’t have right to know what? Something he couldn’t tell? Even it was about me.
What’s wrong with her?
I heard it again. But this time, I saw Eric’s mouth shut.
“Oh my god.” I claimed it out with surprise.
“What is it, babe?” He asked and stepped forward to reach me.
“There must be somebody around here. I heard he said, ‘What’s wrong with her’.” And this was the second time I saw him shocked.
“Hey, Ches… I think you must be tired. Maybe we should stop and go back home? I will drive you home.” He held my hand directly to the car.
“No. Eric. I’m fine. I’m going to find that man. He saw us. He might even record us!”
“No! There’s no one, Ches. I’m sure you’re completely tired. Now, get into the car!” He got a little upset I could say. I frowned but did what he said. I climbed into the car and shut the door in front of his face. He turned away to pack our things that were lying near the lake. I saw him putting on his shirt. His action was so sexy. But I was not in the mood of that now. I felt a little cold then I realized that my upper body covered by nothing except the brassiere. I bent to the back seat and grabbed my shirt. I put it on. I could see Eric walking toward the car with serious face. He opened the door and put himself inside.
“I’m sorry for yelling at you.” He said but didn’t look at me. He was starting the engine.
“That’s okay. I understand. And I’m sorry for accusing you about what you didn’t do.”
“That’s alright. You should rest. I’ll wake you up when we’re home.” He was smiling. “And here, the blanket. You might get a little cold.”
“Thank you.” I adjusted the seat, so, it would be more comfortable for sleeping.
“Sleep tight, Ches. You made me missed it” He laughed softly and leaned to kiss my forehead. “But that’s okay, we could try it again. I love you”
I laughed and smiled. I slowly closed my eyes. “You are so pervert. But yeah, I have to admit, I can’t wait for that either.”
“Hey, wake up, you’re home, sunshine.”
“Oh.” I blinked my eyes. I looked at the clock; it was fifteen minutes to eleven p.m. “How was the trip?”
“Great. I felt a little tired, driving in silence. Not completely silence, you were snoring.” He laughed and made snoring sound at me. I beat his upper arm with embarrassment.
“Stop it!” His laugh became louder and louder. “Shh. My dad is going to hear it! Eric!” Suddenly, he carried me up. His arms were strong as rock. I saw his face leaning closer to my face by moonlight. He was smiling. “Maybe I should give you to your dad like this.”
“Don’t, if you still want to go home.” He laughed again.
“Actually, your dad knows.” My eyes went wide. “He said that if you don’t wake up, I can do whatever I want.”
“But I already woke up. So, put me down, Eric. I’m going inside.”
“Woah. Don’t be so cruel, Miss Bales. There’s something unfinished.” He smirked and leaned closer. His eyes were looking into mine. His nose was touching mine. His mouth was turning from smirking into smiling. We’re going to kiss again in front of my house.
“Put me down, Eric!” I whispered with a little hard voice. I pushed him away. He chuckled. “Something…” I said slowly. I felt so embarrassing. I bet my face had to turn so red. “Can be finished in some other times… Well… not in front of my house.”
Now, he was laughing again and it was louder than those to times. He let me down. He was bending over and still laughing. His hands were on his belly. I felt my anger and shame ran through my face.
“Will you stop?”
I saw he’s trying to stop, “Alright. Alright. I’m done. See.” He stopped laughing.
“Good.” I turned around to my house. “I’m going ins-”
Then, my body was turning back. I could see his face nearly. He kissed me. I closed my eyes. For about minute, then, he pulled his mouth out. “Good night, babe.”
“Good night, Eric.” He released me. I walked along the path and now I was at the gate of my house. I turned back to see him. He was walking to his car. He opened the door. He turned to see me, waving. I waved back and smiled.
Maybe I should go to see Amanda. Gosh, she shouldn’t turn me on.
My smile was gone. I heard Eric speaking again. This time I was sure that it’s his and my conscious was completely full. There had to be something unusual happened with me. Eric was standing very far from me. How could I hear him so clearly? I ignored that curiosity because right now, I was more curious and interested with a girl named Amanda. I decided to shout and ran to him. It won’t be hard to find out the truth. “Eric!”
He turned around of the car and closed the door. “Yes, Ches?”
“Are you going home, directly?”
“Of course yes. Why are you asking this?” He said and leaned to his car.
Another weird question.
“Not going to see anyone?” I asked him and wished that all I heard were not true.
Hell. Or she knew this?
“Who is Amanda?!” I decided to ask him directly. If there’s no one, if what I heard was just some stupid mind-make-up, he would refuse it.
Great! Now she knew it!
I heard nothing except the words he didn’t say. He fell into silent. He looked away. “Why don’t you answer me something, Eric? Tell me; tell me, Amanda is no one!”
He’s silent.
I was too.
“She’s just -” His mouth was moving. So, there’s a girl named Amanda. So, what I heard was real. “She just someone I hang out with, lately.”
“H- How? Eric? What’s wrong with you?! You’re cheating on me!” I could feel my tear wailing up. I used my finger wiping it out of the corner of my eyes.
“I’m not, Ches. It’s just one night!”
“But you’re still going to go to see her! Tonight!” His eyes widened. His mouth went up.
“How. Can. You. Know. That?”
“It doesn’t matter now, Eric. Please. Just go. And don’t ever come back.” I looked above to get rid of my tear. But it was too hard.
“No, I can’t.” He was walking toward me. He reached for my arm and grabbed it. I shifted out of his direction. “I don’t want to lose you. It’s just one night. I was drunk. We were. I’m sorry. Please trust me Chesel. Give me one more chance.”
“But you’re still going to see her.” I said with my calm voice. I thought it’s better if I played it cool. I didn’t want him to see my weak.
“That’s -” His hands rose up and patted on his face, tiredly. “Because I couldn’t finish it with you. My feeling is still -”
“Stop! Please stop it!” I snapped him on his right cheek. I pushed him again; he was stepped back and stopped. He was looking at me with pain. He touched his cheek where I put my hand on. I looked at him and begging, “Please, just stop.”
I couldn’t hold my tear anymore. I let them down. I stepped back and raised my hand up, then, crossed my chest. I used my right hand to cover my mouth. I didn’t want anyone in the house hear me crying. “That’s not the reason. I know you love me but -”
“I love you, Ches.” I could see the truth in it but it’s not enough. “I do love you.”
“But your decision is not! So, please, it would be better if you just go.”
“Ches. I didn’t mean to…”
“Please. You are not loyal to me. You destroy my trust, my love.” I looked into his eyes. He looked back at me, painfully. “I can not live with a man who betrays me.” I turned around and let the tears flowing down more and more. I couldn’t keep it in anymore.
“I never think that I will be losing you someday, Ches. But I just want you to know that whatever happened between me and Amanda is nothing. She’s just like someone you meet when you walked passing and say hi to.” I breathed in deeply and looked to my house. I wanted to run. I didn’t want to hear any of Eric’s voice but I couldn’t. My legs were not functioning. I felt paralyzed. “And I don’t know how you can know that. It was like you read my mind. Anyway, it’s the choice you’ve made, Ches. Good bye.” I heard the sound of the door closing. It was heavy and full with anger. I couldn’t stand anymore. I felt weak and had no strength. I dropped myself down to the ground. My hands pushed against dirty soil. I couldn’t bare it. I saw the tear dripping down, one by one. Suddenly, I felt someone held me up, his look was worried. I inhaled for the last time and then, I felt nothing.
I slowly opened my eyes. Then, I saw three faces above my face. They were staring at me. I looked around the room, it was beige. I saw the white chandelier at my foot direction. I blinked one more time and realized that this was my own house. I was in the living room. The three people that had been staring at me were my dad, my stepmother and my own little brother. “Hey.” My dad said and smiled at me. He helped me sitting up. “Welcome back.”
“Hey, dad. What happened to me?” I asked. I saw he took the white cloth out from my leg and dropped it into the white enameled bowl beside the sofa I laid.
“You passed out in front of the house.”
“Oh.”
“You must have been crying a lot.” My stepmother said to me. She handed me the napkin that had the ice in it. “Here. I don’t have to bet that tomorrow will be the most terrifying day for your eyes.”
“Thank you, Rebecca.” I thanked her. I put the napkin above my two eyes. It was cold. I could feel my eyes swelled up so big.
“Honey, I think I better go to bed. It’s very late now.” She talked to my dad and kissed him good night, then, turned to my brother. “Come on, Charlie. I will read Jack and the Beanstalk for you tonight.”
“Yes!” But before Charlie walked after my stepmother, he turned around and asked me, “You’re alright, Ches? If anyone hurt you, you just tell me, okay? I’ll finish him myself!”
I smiled to him. He was the most valuable person I had ever had. Well, including my dad too. “I’m fine, Charlie. Won’t forget your words.” I dragged him, kissed on his forehead. “Good night kid.” He smiled and followed my stepmother to upstairs.
After both of them went upstairs and finally gone to their own rooms, my dad came to sit in front of me. He faced me seriously. “We need to talk.”
“Al - right. Well… About what? My Friday night with my boyfriend that you just met or my breaking up with him right after it?” I said and lied down tiredly. Actually, I didn’t want to talk about it. I thought I still couldn’t prepare for any of this. But if I didn’t talk about it today, I had to speak about it anyway, someday. So, it’d be better if I just hurt in one day.
“Well, both were after that but now, it’s about something else.”
I sat up and looked at him. “What is it, dad?”
“Umm… Well… Do you have anything to tell me about yourself?”
“Umm… No… Well, actually, I just broke up with Eric who I have been dating for 2 years because he was cheating on me. I almost had sex with him tonight. And I was caught for opening my cell phone in history class. I had to answer the most stupid question ever from Mr. Kurt but I guessed it right anyway.”
“And…” He seemed to be really interested in my today life. I could see from his eyes that he was listening to me carefully.
“And… Nothing important. Same as everyday.” There’s still one more thing. One thing I couldn’t tell you. I was sorry, dad. I didn’t want him to be worried. He might think I was crazy.
“Well. Do you know any of your friend name Jessica?” I startled a little bit.
“Yeah. Why?”
“Today, she came here and told me that you looked weird.”
“Like what?”
“Okay. Well. I’m going to be honest with you, darling.” He reached my hand and held it. His hands were so big and warm but not soft anyway. “I know.”
I couldn’t speak anything. What did he mean, he knew?
“It must have been hard for you and really shocked to hear people’s minds.” He looked deeply into my eyes and squeezed my hands in order to tell me that I was going to be fine. He really knew it.
“Ba – but I think it’s not. I may be crazy or something. Maybe I just built it up. How – can human read minds. It’s ridiculous.” I tried to laugh and thought that this was a joke but his eyes told me that it wasn’t a joke. I still wasn’t sure about myself, how could he know all these?
“Okay. Listen. You may not know how much you’re capable of doing something. I’ve been hiding this for you since Carrie was gone.”
“Wait. Wait. You said mom was gone but you told me that she just left.”
“That’s another one.” He inhaled deeply and then, continued. “Listen to me carefully, Chesel. You have to know all this. You and your mom share the same thing human don’t. People are not like you and her. You’re different. You’re extraordinary.”
“You have power.”