I rolled my eyes. “I missed your dramatics.”
She gave me a saucy grin. “I wish I could remember, but I already knew you were going to be my BFF the moment I saw you. Although…I was a little jealous of you at first because I thought Gavin was crushing on you.”
I snorted. “Hardly, you should have seen how horrified he was when he thought he might be one of my six connections.”
I heard a strangled sound come out of Sam’s mouth before he tripped over his own feet and landed on the pavement with a resounding smack.
I ran back to him as he was wincing and staring down at his hands and knees. He looked slightly embarrassed as I kneeled next to him.
“Let me help,” I said soothingly as I held my hands over his knees first. I imagined peaceful, serene thoughts and felt the warmth radiate from my hands. I watched as the scrapes disappeared. It wasn’t as intense as last night, but it was no less awe inspiring.
I turned his hands over and placed my hands over his hands, feeling the warmth flow out once more.
“Is it true?” he asked with a voice full of awe and fear.
“What’s that?” I asked deliberately acting obtuse.
“You have six connections…” he said hesitantly, like he was treading on thin ice.
I stood up and held a hand out to him. He took it cautiously. I waited for him to begin running once more and fell into step beside him.
“I do,” I finally answered him, noticing he was horribly out of shape as he panted beside me.
“You made fire, you made that scientist reveal himself, you put up a force field, you carried a man twice your size, and you healed a dead man,” he must have noticed the faux paus of his last comment, because he blushed furiously. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled quickly.
I looked at him in consideration. “There aren’t many people that know the true nature of my abilities and the fact that I have six connections.”
“But that’s impossible,” he spluttered.
“It should be,” I shrugged nonchalantly, but even I could see how it was unbelievable. If I wasn’t living it, I would find it hard to believe
Remy and Rachel had already reached the stop sign and was headed back to the house.
“We should pick up our pace if we want to get back to get the children to school on time,” I encouraged him.
“Running is just not my thing,” he muttered. “I think Jemmy is my spirit animal,” he grumbled.
I giggled. I think we were on the right track now.
Running had helped me take my mind off things for a moment, but it hadn’t lasted long. I took a quick shower after my run and got dressed in a pair of jeans, long sleeve grey Henley, and a white vest with a hoodie attached to it. I grabbed my heather-gray boots as I walked out of the room. I was so thankful for the family I had found. Especially where the children were concerned. There was no way I would have had the time to get ready and get them ready as well.
I rushed down to the den to meet Micah’s tutor before heading to the kitchen. She seemed bright and had a solid game plan to get him ready by next year. Micah didn’t seem very happy about not being able to go to school with the other kids, but he also understood that he wasn’t ready to join other children his age. There was no way he was willing to be stuck in a classroom full of kids much younger than him, either. He was disappointed, but he still had an upbeat and confident attitude.
The team had brought their change of clothing with them, so they could shower from here. Breakfast was a simple affair this morning—bagels, fruit, and muffins. The children eagerly grabbed the muffins.
The kitchen was packed once again. I had to dodge in and out of people just to grab a bagel to throw in the toaster. Will had left long ago to tell Collin’s parents the tragic news. I had paused in the doorway, fully expecting to see him at the bar, drinking his coffee, eating his toast, and reading his newspaper. My stomach clenched at the thought of what he had to do. My heart sank. I no longer had an appetite, but I didn’t want to land in the hospital again, and I had some weight to gain.
“Don’t forget you have your audition this morning,” Jace reminded me with a kiss to the back of my head.
“I’m not going. I already emailed the school my apologies,” I said as I spread cream cheese on my jalapeno cheddar bagel.
I took a bite of my bagel and noticed, once again, all eyes were on me. “You love music,” Gavin finally spoke up. “You went through a lot to get that audition again.”
I refused to meet his eyes as I took a thermos of coffee from Troy. It hadn’t taken him long to remember how I liked my coffee. “I really haven’t had the time to practice all weekend, and I’m not ready.”
Jace seemed to be searching his memory for something. “You really didn’t need the practice. You could do that song in your sleep.”
I shook my head and took another bite of few. I took my time chewing it before swallowing. “I’m not embarrassing myself.”
“Every time before a game, I always psyched myself out too. You just need to trust yourself, you know you can do it,” Jaxson hugged me briefly.
“I’m not ready,” I repeated myself with a shrug.
“Listen Blake,” Noah said slowly. “I know how hard it is…but you need to continue…living.”
I was irrationally irritated at this point. “I said I’m not ready,” I said forcefully. “Can’t you guys respect that!”
“Blake—" Ella came skipping up to me.
“What?!” I snapped and realized I had. I felt guilty immediately. “I’m sorry, Ella, what would you like, hon?”
She handed me picture. “Look, I drew you a picture.”
“Great, thanks,” I forced a smile, not bothering to look at the picture before I shoved it in my messenger bag. I would look at it later.
I remember in my previous high school, always feeling like a freak. Back then, I had down-played my figure, wore black, hid behind baggy layers of clothing. In a world full of appearances mattering, I hadn’t mattered much. Now, thanks to Jemmy and Collin, my clothing was current and even flattering. I never expected my gifts would cause the stir I felt passing through the hall ways. I could feel people staring at me and whispering behind their hands.
I was flanked by Noah on one side and Drake and Gavin on the other. “Ignore them,” Drake whispered reassuringly.
“Easier said than done,” I muttered back.
“People always fear and talk about things they don’t understand,” Gavin said as he glared at a couple of people that wasn’t even trying to hide their rudeness. I knew he spoke from experience. “I just didn’t think in a school predominately gifted you would face this kind of scrutiny.”
“Me either,” I said tersely.
I heard a commotion behind me, and before I could even figure out what was happening and turn around, I felt my hair being grabbed from behind. I felt the sharp pain in my scalp as my neck was snapped back.