Read Online Impossible Things by Robin Stevenson - Free Book Online

up.” Victoria rubbed her hands across her eyes; then she put her glasses back on. “Usually Dad lends Rick money, and Mom gets mad. Last time we moved was because Dad kept missing work, trying to bail Rick out of some problem, so he got fired.”
    â€œDo you think they know Rick’s in town?”
    She groaned. “I don’t know. I don’t even want to think about it. They’re not fighting so much right now, but if he starts hanging around, they’ll start fighting again. They always do.”
    â€œYeah, wow.” I stared at her, trying to imagine what that would be like. My parents drive me crazy sometimes but they don’t fight, ever. Or at least if they do, they never do it when Ben and I are around. “Are you going to tell them Rick’s here?” I asked.
    â€œI guess I have to,” Victoria said hesitantly. “Mom thinks he’s dangerous. Don’t you think I should tell them?”
    I shrugged, trying to look like I thought it was no big deal either way. “Sounds like it just causes problems.”
    â€œI couldn’t stand it if everything got all messed up and we ended up moving again,” she whispered. “I know he’s my brother and I guess this sounds awful, but I just want him to stay out of our lives. And I hate changing schools.” She looked up at me. “Especially now that I’ve found somebody to be my best friend.”
    Somebody, thumbuddy. I felt a twang of guilt. What if Rick really was dangerous? I was being about as good a friend to Victoria as Chiaki had been to me. I opened my mouth to say that maybe she should tell her mom after all, but before I could speak, Victoria shook her head. “No, I won’t tell them. It’s better not to say anything.” She looked at me with a forced smile. “So, now what?”
    There was a weird, hot, gnawing feeling in my belly. I ignored it and changed the subject. “Are you going to teach me how to start moving things or what?”
    First, Victoria made me do the exercise she had taught me before. I wasn’t too hopeful about it working. As I sat on Victoria’s bed and placed my hands together to begin gathering energy, I calculated that I’d probably practiced this exercise at least a hundred times since she’d showed it to me. Once or twice I’d thought that I might have felt something happening: a sensation of warmth between my hands, a subtle pressure. Way too subtle.
    â€œOkay,” said Victoria. “Can you feel the ball of energy between your hands?”
    â€œUmm, I think so? Maybe?”
    â€œOkay, now focus on that energy and bring your hands to your chest. Imagine that energy flowing into your body.”
    I felt a rush of warmth in my hands and opened my eyes, startled. “I felt it! Wow. Oh, wow, I think maybe I really felt something.”
    Victoria was smiling and nodding at me like crazy. “That’s great. That’s a good sign.” She placed her school binder, closed, on the bed in front of my crossed legs. On top of it, she laid a small white feather. “We’re going to start with something light. I want you to focus all of that energy on this feather. Imagine the energy flowing toward it. The energy is like an extension of you: you can direct it and use it like you would use your own hands… Keep breathing.”
    I let out my breath. I hadn’t realized I was holding it. Nothing was happening to the feather. I squinted at it. Maybe if I blew on it ever so slightly…I just wanted to see the stupid thing move. I sighed and tried to focus on the energy.
    After a few minutes, Victoria interrupted me. “That’s enough, Cassidy. It’s going to take time and practice, I guess.”
    â€œCan’t I try something else?”
    â€œYou’ll give yourself a headache. Anyway, I just heard Mom come in.” She frowned. “Don’t tell her about this, okay? She’d