and time again. There are always consequences. She was partly right. I’ve found that I can heal small cuts and wounds, broken bones, too, without consequence. But more serious issues, life and death injuries, can’t be tinkered with. I saw this myself when my mother tried to heal one of her junky boyfriends who had been stabbed and showed up at our doorstep covered in blood. She cared too much to resist healing him, but then his son died from an aneurism the next day.
Gwen gingerly pulls the towel from her hand and examines her finger. I didn’t completely mend the wound. That would look too suspicious. But I turned the deep slice into more of a paper cut. “It stopped bleeding,” she says, turning her hand over. “I guess it wasn’t as bad as I thought.”
Just then, my back pocket rings, causing me to squeal in surprise. Gwen points and laughs. “You’re such a luddite.”
“Look at you with the fancy SAT word,” I tease. “For your information, I’m not a luddite. I’m poor. There’s a difference.”
“Then let me give you some advice, Raielle. If you’re going to keep your cell phone there, set it to vibrate. Then enjoy the booty call.” She waggles her eyebrows at me, and I grin at her before turning away to answer. It’s Kyle.
“Where are you? Chloe is getting ready to put dinner on the table. I told you my dad was coming over tonight.”
I mutter a curse under my breath. “I forgot. I’m sorry. I’ll be right there.” I end the call feeling badly. I turn to Gwen.
“I heard. I’ll get my keys.”
When we arrive at the house, an unfamiliar car is parked on the street in front. It’s a large white sedan. I’m about to open Gwen’s car door when I turn back to her. “You never told me who you’re crushing on.”
She rolls her eyes at me. “I shouldn’t tell you because you’re not telling me.”
“Because I have nothing to tell,” I argue. It’s sort of the truth. It doesn’t matter if I’m interested in someone since I’m not going to act on it.
She closes her eyes. “It’s Jake.”
I grin. “Jake? Hey, I actually know him.”
“I know. You ate lunch with him.” She seems envious.
“Where were you at lunch? I didn’t see you.”
“Because you were sitting in the center of the caf where all the bright shiny people eat. I was sitting in the back, at a corner table where the rest of us peons dwell.”
I shake my head. “You’re so wrong, Gwen. I am not one of those people. I never have been. If it wasn’t for Myles, I wouldn’t have sat there at all. For all I know, they set him straight after lunch and now I’m banned.”
She gapes at me. “Do you own a mirror? How could you not be one of those people? Guys literally stop in their tracks when you walk by. I know you seem oblivious to the way you look, but I never figured you actually were.”
I rub my forehead. I’m starting to get a headache. “People react that way at first, but when they realize my personality doesn’t match, I’m put in the loner column, and I’m left alone.”
She tilts her head at me like she doesn’t believe me.
“I’ll sit with you at lunch tomorrow, okay? I’d rather eat with you anyway.”
Her eyes widen. “You’re going to purposely torpedo your rep?”
I sigh at her ridiculousness. “Or I could bring you with me to Myles’s table, and you can talk to Jake.”
She vigorously shakes her head. “No. You can’t do that.”
Her reaction surprises me. “Why not? Are you shy or something?”
Gwen runs a hand over her jet black hair. “I’m not shy. I’m a realist. He’d never be interested in me.”
“Why would you say that?”
She bugs her eyes out like the answer is obvious.
“You have a lousy attitude, but you’re attractive and smart. You should let me talk to him for you.” I’m not sure why I’m insisting. For some reason, her surprising lack of confidence makes me really want to help her.
“No! Don’t you have a dinner to get to?” She
Gwen gingerly pulls the towel from her hand and examines her finger. I didn’t completely mend the wound. That would look too suspicious. But I turned the deep slice into more of a paper cut. “It stopped bleeding,” she says, turning her hand over. “I guess it wasn’t as bad as I thought.”
Just then, my back pocket rings, causing me to squeal in surprise. Gwen points and laughs. “You’re such a luddite.”
“Look at you with the fancy SAT word,” I tease. “For your information, I’m not a luddite. I’m poor. There’s a difference.”
“Then let me give you some advice, Raielle. If you’re going to keep your cell phone there, set it to vibrate. Then enjoy the booty call.” She waggles her eyebrows at me, and I grin at her before turning away to answer. It’s Kyle.
“Where are you? Chloe is getting ready to put dinner on the table. I told you my dad was coming over tonight.”
I mutter a curse under my breath. “I forgot. I’m sorry. I’ll be right there.” I end the call feeling badly. I turn to Gwen.
“I heard. I’ll get my keys.”
When we arrive at the house, an unfamiliar car is parked on the street in front. It’s a large white sedan. I’m about to open Gwen’s car door when I turn back to her. “You never told me who you’re crushing on.”
She rolls her eyes at me. “I shouldn’t tell you because you’re not telling me.”
“Because I have nothing to tell,” I argue. It’s sort of the truth. It doesn’t matter if I’m interested in someone since I’m not going to act on it.
She closes her eyes. “It’s Jake.”
I grin. “Jake? Hey, I actually know him.”
“I know. You ate lunch with him.” She seems envious.
“Where were you at lunch? I didn’t see you.”
“Because you were sitting in the center of the caf where all the bright shiny people eat. I was sitting in the back, at a corner table where the rest of us peons dwell.”
I shake my head. “You’re so wrong, Gwen. I am not one of those people. I never have been. If it wasn’t for Myles, I wouldn’t have sat there at all. For all I know, they set him straight after lunch and now I’m banned.”
She gapes at me. “Do you own a mirror? How could you not be one of those people? Guys literally stop in their tracks when you walk by. I know you seem oblivious to the way you look, but I never figured you actually were.”
I rub my forehead. I’m starting to get a headache. “People react that way at first, but when they realize my personality doesn’t match, I’m put in the loner column, and I’m left alone.”
She tilts her head at me like she doesn’t believe me.
“I’ll sit with you at lunch tomorrow, okay? I’d rather eat with you anyway.”
Her eyes widen. “You’re going to purposely torpedo your rep?”
I sigh at her ridiculousness. “Or I could bring you with me to Myles’s table, and you can talk to Jake.”
She vigorously shakes her head. “No. You can’t do that.”
Her reaction surprises me. “Why not? Are you shy or something?”
Gwen runs a hand over her jet black hair. “I’m not shy. I’m a realist. He’d never be interested in me.”
“Why would you say that?”
She bugs her eyes out like the answer is obvious.
“You have a lousy attitude, but you’re attractive and smart. You should let me talk to him for you.” I’m not sure why I’m insisting. For some reason, her surprising lack of confidence makes me really want to help her.
“No! Don’t you have a dinner to get to?” She
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