After she’d promised Sandy that they would join her in the cafeteria at lunchtime, Dylan followed her to their biology class.
As they neared the classroom, they saw a group of girls crowded around the bulletin board outside. Miriam and Amber were in the center of the commotion, and everyone was talking while some were laughing out loud. Amber turned as Aspen got closer.
“There she is!” She pointed her finger and the girls turned around in unison. They sniggered with laughter and clapped one another on the back. Miriam caught her eye and glared at her, but Aspen decided to ignore it on her special day.
One by one, the girls filed into the classroom, and when they were gone, she finally saw what they were laughing at. A note was stuck on the corkboard, written in big black letters on a white piece of paper.
Aspen Walker Loves Dylan Powers
Dylan tensed behind her and all the blood drained from her face. They were still staring at the note when their biology teacher stepped up to the board.
Aspen winced when she saw it was Miss Thompson. She was one of their strictest teachers, and always wore a suit to school each day. The dowdy woman lowered her tortoiseshell-rimmed glasses and stared at the note for a moment, then patted her short dark curls as she glanced back at Aspen with an expression that almost looked sympathetic. With a sharp tug, she ripped the note from the corkboard and crumpled it in her hands.
“Hurry up or you’ll be late for class,” she said curtly, then nodded her head toward the classroom.
Aspen was still speechless as she walked inside, but Miriam and Amber burst out laughing at the sight of her, which caused the rest of the class to join in. She walked stiffly toward her desk, knowing that Dylan was just behind her.
“Ignore them.” His voice was calm and he touched her arm. Tingles shot through her body and his touch calmed her as she sank into her seat. Looking up, she saw Miriam waving a black permanent marker in the air with a smirk on her face.
Miss Thompson told the students to settle down, and then started her lesson immediately.
Dylan sat calmly behind her and as she moved back in the desk, he gathered her loose hair and twisted it into a ponytail and played with the strands. It felt so good that she relaxed and angled her head so he could get a better grip.
The teacher’s voice droned on in the background, and she blocked out the snickers of the other girls and took notes.
“Watch this,” Dylan said in a low voice after a few minutes.
With a cry, Miriam jumped up from her desk. “Ouch!” She looked at her seat and sat down carefully again.
“Ow!” she screamed. “Miss Thompson, this desk is shocking me.”
Aspen’s lips quirked as she tried to hide her smile. Dylan pointed in her stepsister’s direction, and she could see tiny darts of blue fire as they flicked from his fingertips.
“Ow!” Miriam whined. “I can’t sit here any longer.”
“Miriam, if you’re looking for attention, then perhaps the principal’s office is the right place to find it.” Miss Thompson glowered at the girl, her lips pressed into a tight line.
“I’m not joking—ow! That hurt,” Miriam cried out again.
The other students tittered with laughter, and the entire classroom erupted into chaos as Miss Thompson fumed and pointed to the door.
“Miriam, go to the principal’s office now!”
Aspen chuckled as her stepsister grumbled all the way out of the classroom.
Perhaps the day would get better after all. She glanced at her new watch, willing the time to pass quickly so she could meet Sandy for lunch.
? ? ?
After their morning classes were over, Dylan looped his arm through hers and guided her to the cafeteria. A powerful charge from his fingers trickled through her veins and it felt so good, both soothing and exciting at the same time.
Sandy waited for them with small pieces of iced birthday cake spread out on three paper plates. Soda fizzed in real glasses, and three small birthday party hats lay on the table for them.
“Cool, birthday hats.” Dylan grinned and placed the elastic band under his chin. The tiny red hat gave him a jaunty look as it nestled in his hair. Sandy offered a hat to Aspen, and she pulled it onto her head.
“You didn’t have to do this,” she said with a laugh.
“Nonsense. It’s not every day that such a powerful Dream Walker can be welcomed into the clan.” Sandy offered her a glass of soda.
“Me? Powerful? I don’t think so.” Aspen shook her head.
Sandy shoved a piece of cake into her mouth and crumbs flew as she spoke. “That’s true . . . ,” she mumbled, and took a large sip of soda. “Your father was one of our leaders. In Lanta, you’re a pri—”
“Sandy.” Dylan looked at her sharply. “Not now.”
Looking down sheepishly, Sandy turned her attention to a thick piece of buttercream icing, and licked her fingers after she’d wiped it from the plate.
“Did you bring the presents?” Dylan asked, changing the subject suddenly.