rebuts. “We’re here because of energy surges in the weather. What would be the explanation for witches? Why are they here? How did they come to be?”
“Hmm, this is really bothering you. This not knowing or not being able to rationalize,” another voice interjects.
Just like she always seems to do, Lindsey simply walks up to our table and starts talking. Yet this time, like yesterday, her words are right on point. She’s looking at Jake as if she can see through him. Through her thin bangs, I see that her forehead is scrunched.
“You want to know all the answers now. They’re coming too slow.” She keeps talking and keeps looking at Jake.
“Shut up and go away,” he says, frowning and looking back down to his book.
“Ah, really, Lindsey, this is kind of a private conversation,” Krystal interjects.
Lindsey turns to look at Krystal. Her hair is pulled into a ponytail today, one that swishes behind her as she moves. “You guys have a lot of private conversations. I’ve noticed that about you.”
“Okay, that’s fine. Now can you leave us to our private conversation?” Krystal rolls her eyes, something that seems uncharacteristic for her.
“It’s okay if you’re still on the fence about Franklin. Sex is a big step. You should actually wait until you’re married but statistics say that by the age of fifteen approximately thirteen percent of teenage girls have had intercourse. So I guess you could say you’re ready. Statistically, I mean.”
I think Krystal’s jaw will break, her mouth opens so wide. Then again, mine opens just as fast and probably just as wide. How did she know what Krystal and I had just talked about?
“What?” Krystal clears her throat. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Lindsey pulls up a chair from the table across from us and puts her book bag down on the floor. For a minute she just stares at us, then she lifts her leg—and because she’s wearing a jean skirt with pink ruffle at the bottom—we can immediately see her left ankle.
“So am I officially a member of the club now?” she asks, sitting back and crossing her arms. Her smile is smug, but her eyes still look like she’s seeking permission.
“Oh…my…” Krystal can’t even finish she’s so shocked by what she sees.
Jake grabs Lindsey’s ankle and just about yanks her across the table. “Where’d you get that? Did you paint that on?” he’s asking, but he’s already rubbing her skin fiercely, and it’s not coming off.
“No. Let go of me!” Lindsey protests, pushing Jake’s hands away. “I was born with it. Just as I suspect you guys were. I saw Krystal’s at the dance and thought it was just a coincidence. Then when we were in gym changing our clothes I saw yours, Sasha.”
She looks over at Jake with unmasked agitation. “You’re always covered from head to toe, so I don’t know where yours is, but I’ll bet my next year’s allowance you’ve got one.”
All I can do is nod. Yes, Jake has one. Just like me and Krystal and now Lindsey. We all have the same M birthmark.
eight
Which means we all have powers.
Lindsey’s I’m betting has something to do with mind reading.
“How long have you been able to do that?” I ask because my other two cohorts still look like something’s swallowed their tongues.
Lindsey looks at me, her brown eyes settling on mine. She huffs, and her wispy bangs lift and fall on her forehead. “Seems like forever. But I think it really hit me that I was different when I was around twelve.”
“How does it work?”
“I’m telepathic. If I look at you I can hear your thoughts.”
Krystal rebounds next. “At any time you can read my thoughts? Or anybody else’s thoughts?”
Lindsey shrugs. “Sort of. I mean, over the years I’ve figured out what keeps a lot of thoughts from crowding me.”
I’m curious, so I ask, “And what’s that?”
“The color black.”
“Huh?” Jake looks like he’s about to bolt at any
“Hmm, this is really bothering you. This not knowing or not being able to rationalize,” another voice interjects.
Just like she always seems to do, Lindsey simply walks up to our table and starts talking. Yet this time, like yesterday, her words are right on point. She’s looking at Jake as if she can see through him. Through her thin bangs, I see that her forehead is scrunched.
“You want to know all the answers now. They’re coming too slow.” She keeps talking and keeps looking at Jake.
“Shut up and go away,” he says, frowning and looking back down to his book.
“Ah, really, Lindsey, this is kind of a private conversation,” Krystal interjects.
Lindsey turns to look at Krystal. Her hair is pulled into a ponytail today, one that swishes behind her as she moves. “You guys have a lot of private conversations. I’ve noticed that about you.”
“Okay, that’s fine. Now can you leave us to our private conversation?” Krystal rolls her eyes, something that seems uncharacteristic for her.
“It’s okay if you’re still on the fence about Franklin. Sex is a big step. You should actually wait until you’re married but statistics say that by the age of fifteen approximately thirteen percent of teenage girls have had intercourse. So I guess you could say you’re ready. Statistically, I mean.”
I think Krystal’s jaw will break, her mouth opens so wide. Then again, mine opens just as fast and probably just as wide. How did she know what Krystal and I had just talked about?
“What?” Krystal clears her throat. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Lindsey pulls up a chair from the table across from us and puts her book bag down on the floor. For a minute she just stares at us, then she lifts her leg—and because she’s wearing a jean skirt with pink ruffle at the bottom—we can immediately see her left ankle.
“So am I officially a member of the club now?” she asks, sitting back and crossing her arms. Her smile is smug, but her eyes still look like she’s seeking permission.
“Oh…my…” Krystal can’t even finish she’s so shocked by what she sees.
Jake grabs Lindsey’s ankle and just about yanks her across the table. “Where’d you get that? Did you paint that on?” he’s asking, but he’s already rubbing her skin fiercely, and it’s not coming off.
“No. Let go of me!” Lindsey protests, pushing Jake’s hands away. “I was born with it. Just as I suspect you guys were. I saw Krystal’s at the dance and thought it was just a coincidence. Then when we were in gym changing our clothes I saw yours, Sasha.”
She looks over at Jake with unmasked agitation. “You’re always covered from head to toe, so I don’t know where yours is, but I’ll bet my next year’s allowance you’ve got one.”
All I can do is nod. Yes, Jake has one. Just like me and Krystal and now Lindsey. We all have the same M birthmark.
eight
Which means we all have powers.
Lindsey’s I’m betting has something to do with mind reading.
“How long have you been able to do that?” I ask because my other two cohorts still look like something’s swallowed their tongues.
Lindsey looks at me, her brown eyes settling on mine. She huffs, and her wispy bangs lift and fall on her forehead. “Seems like forever. But I think it really hit me that I was different when I was around twelve.”
“How does it work?”
“I’m telepathic. If I look at you I can hear your thoughts.”
Krystal rebounds next. “At any time you can read my thoughts? Or anybody else’s thoughts?”
Lindsey shrugs. “Sort of. I mean, over the years I’ve figured out what keeps a lot of thoughts from crowding me.”
I’m curious, so I ask, “And what’s that?”
“The color black.”
“Huh?” Jake looks like he’s about to bolt at any
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