by B D Grant
"I'll see to it that he gets it."
"Thanks."
On my way out of the faculty offices I run into Cassidy.
"Hey!" I call out, way too enthusiastically.
She looks behind her as if there is no way I was talking to her like that. She has a thick book in her arms with an even thicker binder on top. The bag that's over her shoulder looks weighed down pretty good too. Her face tightens when she acknowledges me.
"What?" she asks, continuing on her way out of the offices.
I turn with her and hold the door open for her." I wanted to know when I could talk to my mom. It's been a while and Uncle Will's busy every time I try to see him."
"Right now is not a good time for me to worry with you needing to update your mom on your current crush. We all have a lot on our plates, including Catherine so just take my word for it, she's fine and she knows you’re doing good."
"All I'm asking for is five minutes,” I whine, with my voice raising an octave.
Cassidy halts and turns to me, "The answer is no. Two teachers are out today with a stomach virus and I have to fill in for them, so be on your way so that I can be on mine."
I reluctantly walk away. She has such a way of making me want to hurt her. I should have tripped her instead of holding the door open for her. She’s heartless as far as I'm concerned.
When first period rolls around the next day I’ve decided to give it a little more time before forcing my way into Uncle Will's office and demanding to talk to my mom. When the bell rings ending first period, I meet Ashley at her locker so we can walk to our next classes together.
The school is made up of buildings that make a big, connected square with a courtyard in the middle. Each building has a designated number, one through four. Each of them is three-stories high. Ground level there are walkways between two and three, and three and four going to the gym, cafeteria, and track and field.
It was on my second day that I managed to get turned around going from first to second period. Ashley was the one I ultimately stopped to ask for help. She was nice and didn't roll her eyes when she looked at my schedule to explain that I needed to be on the first floor, not second. I apologized for my stupidity and she said, "No biggie, we can walk together. My class is across the hall from yours."
As it turned out she and I shared the same lunch period, physical ed., and fourth period. We became friends even after her admission to being Cassidy's cousin.
"It's cool,” she insisted as I looked at her horrified.
Before she shared this tidbit of info I had already confessed my deep dislike for Cassidy. "You could have told me sooner."
"It's not like her and I talk much or that I would tell her how you feel. As you can tell I don't walk around bragging about my big cousin because I know most people share your disdain for her. She’s not the warmest person to be around."
"My uncle doesn't seem to mind,” I say dryly.
Ashley bounces her eyebrows at me, "Your uncle is the man in charge and hot. I would die my hair and change my name if it would give me a chance with someone good looking like him." She wiggles her eyebrows some more.
I stare at her a second trying to decide if I should gag or not. “You're disgusting."
On our way to second period we discuss my decision to wait on raising hell. Ashley agrees, "You left him a message. He'll find you."
"I hope so."
Second period, English does not disappoint. The class is going over American Literature. For the past week we’ve been discussing a novel I've already read. That means I get to faze out, knowing if I get called on I stand a good chance of getting the question right. The windows in this classroom overlook the courtyard in the middle of the four buildings. I try not to stare out of them too much because I get called on more when I do, but today there’re people to watch outside.
Four guys are walking around the courtyard, one pair followed by the next. The two in front are super cute. One has short brown hair and the other has longer, curly hair. They don't look related by any stretch but they are all around the same height and pretty muscular, obviously Dynamar. I skim over the one with short brown hair a second time observing how he pulls off the serious, no nonsense expression with such an easy stride.
The two behind them aren't as buff but clearly also Dynamar. One has small, rectangular glasses on. He looks to be the oldest. The other has no hair on his head besides his eyebrows.
A teacher sashays past them. The curly haired guy in the front of the group turns to watch her walk past. She goes into building four. When the door closes behind her he makes a comment. The guy beside him gives him a look letting him know he didn’t appreciate what was said. He pushes Mr. Curly Hair playfully away from him. The guy with glasses however, looks irate by what was said and the entire group stops as he chews out Mr. Curly Hair. The bald one takes a step back and leans against the brick wall closest to him. He watches while the one in glasses raises his finger motioning strongly at where the teacher just was to Mr. Curly Hair. The bald guy looks around, past the group and catches me staring at them. My head snaps down to act like I'm taking notes. I silently say, nothing to see here. I look up to the front of class like what the teacher’s talking about enthralls me.
When I look out the window again the bald guy is paying attention to the discussion going on in front of him. The cute, brown haired guy is talking now. The one in glasses is purposefully unclenching his fists but is keeping his eye on Mr. Curly Hair.
I keep looking back at the one with brown hair. He has something about him that makes me not want to look away. When they start walking again I notice he moves differently than the others. His shoulders are square as he walks. He holds his head up looking straight ahead. He has a more confident stride, like he knows he can handle what ever comes at him. Something happens to make Mr. Curly Hair turn his head and I see two girls my age walking out of the building I'm in, heading for the one across the courtyard. He smiles at one of them and she puts her hand up to her face and whispers something to the girl next to her. Mr. Curly Hair catches the glare coming from the guy in glasses behind him and turns back around, grinning. They leave the courtyard, taking the walkway between buildings three and four.
"I don't know who you're talking about,” Ashley tells me in frustration that night in my room.
Ashley had spent the afternoon trying to identify the guys from my description.
"I just saw them today. You wouldn’t forget students this cute. They couldn't be younger than us."
Ashley shrugs her shoulders saying, "I don't know what to tell you. I know every hot guy in the school and none match your descriptions.”
I know she's not lying because one, my lie detector isn't going off and two, because she has pointed out every decent looking male student to me that we've come across. She knows their names, abilities, and just about all of their family histories. With how hard she has tried to find me a boyfriend since we became friends, I like to joke with her about having the makings of a future matchmaker.
She lies on her stomach across my bed and partially on top of me. She caresses my cheek and makes an exaggerated pouty face saying, “Don't worry, you’re bound to run into your dreamboat again."
I back away from her hand. “What are you talking about?”
She takes her hand back. “Don’t even. You were all but drooling when you talked about the tall, brown haired dream machine.”
I giggle, she giggles, and then I describe the two cute ones to her all over again.
By the end of the week my frustration has reached a new all-time high from not hearing anything from Uncle Will and not seeing any of the four guys from the courtyard that I’ve been desperately hoping I’d run into. I've decided that I've given Uncle Will plenty of time to come to me, and after some convincing I drag Ashley with me to his office.
"I am here to see my uncle,” I announce to his secretary whose cheerful expression morphs into something resembling dread when she sees me.
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"He's not here. Try back Monday."
"You're lying,” I snap back.
The secretary glares at me. "Excuse me, young lady."
"Taylor,” Ashley hisses behind me warningly.
I ignore Ashley and proceed to lean over the desk towards the secretary. I stare at her trying to see why she's lying.
Small pieces float to the surface: She was told to keep people away. He had something important, he doesn't want any distractions.
"I'm his niece, not a distraction.”
"That is enough!" She yells and slams the folder in her hand down on her desk. She jumps out of her chair and briskly walks around her desk grabbing my arm. "You will not talk to me like that."
With a firm grip on my arm she turns me and steers me away from her desk. Ashley follows as I'm ejected from building one’s offices.
"I had better not see your face until you have learned how to be respectful."
"But you.." I start but she shuts the door in my face. "..are lying."
Ashley’s eyes are saucers. “Are you trying to get detention, because I am not going down with you?" Ashley says in a high-pitched voice. She adjusts her shirt as if she was the one that was involved in the altercation.
"She lied to my face. What was I suppose to do?"
"Umm, not flip out and get us in trouble."
"He told her no distractions. There's no way he meant me. I am not a distraction." She throws her hands in the air, “What are you talking about? She didn't say any of that."
I stay silent, thinking while Ashley looks at me, confused.
I take a deep breath. “She didn't have too. I looked past her stupid lie."
Ashley's confusion deepens with the wrinkles between her eyes, "Looked past?"
I give her a quick run-down of what my ability has become. I tell her about the people from the gas station. How I knew what was going on without them saying anything.
"That's not normal, Taylor."
An older girl that has three nose piercings and one in her cheek walks past us. We slow our stride so that she passes us quickly without hearing what we’re discussing.
I watch her walk around us then turn to Ashley. “Is there normal here?"
"Yes,” she says matter-of-factly. "Dynamar, Sensaas, Veritatis, Tempero or Cachelerie, take your pick, but what you are talking about is something else. What does Mr. McBride say about your… something extra?"
"He hasn't said anything.” Come to think of it, “I don't think he knows."
"If you can really do all that you just told me then I would tell him if I were you. That is if you ever get in to see him,” she smirks.
We wind the corner to Ashley's next class. My chest feels like it’s being squeezed. “You aren't going to tell people, are you?" I ask. I don’t want to be seen as the girl that doesn’t fit in. I’ve spent my life keeping my ability secret. Being seen as a regular student while using my ability openly is not something I could do before; I don’t want to lose it.
She stops just outside the door. "No, I wouldn't even know what to tell. If you won’t talk about whatever this is, neither will I.”
"Yeah, thanks." Relief washes over me.
“Hey, did I ask you yet if you’re going to Guest Night tonight?”
“I don’t know. What do they talk about exactly?” I’ve seen the flyers posted around school for the monthly event. Guest Night is where someone who’s normally not part of the school comes in and gives a speech. It’s held in the gymnasium so there is enough room for anyone who wants to attend.
“We never know. It’s a toss up between motivational speeches and randoms telling us their autobiographies. Once, the speaker had to back out the day of so an English teacher did a comedy skit making fun of coworkers and the bad cafeteria food. It was awesome.”
“I’ll have to think about it.”
Ashley walks into her class, “K, see ya later."
At the end of the day Ashley takes a detour from our normal path to the dorms. “Where are you going?” I ask her.
“By the front office to see who the speaker is going to be tonight.”
“I’ll meet up with you later then.”
By the time Ashley makes it to my room I’ve already changed into a tee-shirt and pajama pants. I have pink fingernail polish out that I found in one of the pockets of my bag. I’m putting on a second coat when she pokes her head around the door. She steps inside the door when she sees me lounging on my bed.
“You’re not coming?” She pouts.
“Neh, not this time. Painting my nails and listening to music sounds better. Want to join?” I ask waving the tiny fingernail polish brush enticingly at her.
She crosses her arms unfazed. “No one listens to Jazz music anymore.”
“You don’t know what you’re missing.”
“Whatever,” she tells me as she walks out, shutting the door behind herself.
When my nails are done drying I listening to my favorite songs on Miles’s CD. I pop my ear buds out after the second song ends. I slide my shoes on and tour the hall of the girls’ dorm. None of the girls I would normally stop and chat with are in their rooms. I find myself back in my room bored staring at the pile of clothes on the floor that I need to wash.
I could try to sleep but chances are it won’t be restful. I continue to be invaded when I sleep by the same mysterious woman. She hasn’t said anything to me since New Orleans. Now, when she’s in my head it’s like she’s looking for something. I grab the khakis off the top of the pile that I wore to class today. I change out of the pajama pants and put on the khakis. I place the pajamas on my bed. “I’ll be back for you soon,” I tell my PJs.
I stop at the mirror that hangs on my closet door before heading out. My oversized shirt has, “No Sleep Till Brooklyn!” written on the front. I hear the Beastie Boys every time I look at it. “Don’t worry,” I say petting the bottom of the shirt. “I’m keeping you on.”
There is only standing room left in the auditorium when I make it inside. I stand in the back looking around for Ashley.
The speaker is an old man. He has a scar running up his neck to the left side of his cheek. He is also badly balding.
“When all of it had sunk in, all I had lost, it did not break me. This,” he holds up his arm. It’s missing the hand. There is a low gasp throughout the audience. “was the price I paid. And I would do it again even if it would’ve been my life that I lost. Even if I wasn’t a Seraphim, to sacrifice for something you believe in, something bigger then yourself will not be a sacrifice.”
I stop listening when one of the guys I saw in the courtyard from the other day catches my eye. It’s the one with glasses. He’s walking around the side of the audience talking with another gentleman. They turn the corner heading my way. I glance around searching for the other three, or really just the one with short brown hair. They stop a bit short of me to watch the speaker. After a moment the one with glasses continues their conversation, “I don’t think it’s wise to let them with everything that is happening right now.”
“It’s not your call,” the other gentleman says. “Weston put the request in and I’ve given the okay.”
They start walking again right for me. There are so many people standing in the back they don’t have much room to get to the exit. The guy with glasses doesn’t acknowledge me as he squeezes past me. The gentleman with him whispers, “Excuse us,” as he walks in front of me, momentarily blocking my view of the speaker.
“I only wanted to give you my opinion,” Glasses says.
“My decision is final.”
Watching them as they leave out a door to my right I catch Ashley’s profile in the audience. She’s sitting half way up on the right side talking to someone on the other side of her. She leans forward and I see the flash of Cassidy’s face before Ashley sits back again.
Once the speaker is finished my uncle joins him on stage to thank him. He then tells us that the next speaker night is postponed until further n
otice. He and the speaker leave the stage and the auditorium out the left, front exit.
I think about running after him but everyone else is out of their seats heading for the exits.
I meet up with Ashley and Cassidy as they make it out of the auditorium. Ashley seems a little sheepish when I join them.
“Ashley has told me your having a tough time,” Cassidy tells me.
I look at Ashley. “I don’t know what she told you.”
Cassidy raises her hand to stop me. “She thinks it probably stems from your lack of communication with your mother.”
Does she not remember talking to me about this already? “I told you I’ve been wanting to call my mom.”
She lets out a loud exhale in annoyance with me, “I was going to offer just that.” She pauses.
I stare at her hoping my mouth didn’t ruin the offer. She looks satisfied. “I am going to free up some time. I’ll let you know when you can come by my office,” she says walking away to join the remaining faculty that are ensuring that students are returning to their dorms.
“I’m having a tough time, am I?” I sarcastically ask Ashley on our trip back to the dorms.
“We ran into each other on the way to the auditorium. Being the good friend that I am I couldn’t pass up the chance to help. It’s not like you were getting any closer to talking to your uncle.”
“Why would she care how I’m doing?” I ask. She shrugs.
At my room, I invite her to hang out. She keeps walking. “Not tonight.”
“Alright, thanks for talking to Cass for me.”
“What are friends for?” She replies on her way into her dorm.
Two days go by without hearing from Cassidy. Ashley hasn’t seen her around either. When Ashley and I come out of the cafeteria three of the guys I’ve been telling Ashley about are in the courtyard. The cute one with short brown hair who somehow reminds me of my dad is one of them.
The curly haired guy goes up to a group of the girls that are standing out from the rest of the students. My guy watches him for a minute then calls for him. When the guy looks back at him my guy is shaking his head at him, and motions for him to rejoin them. My dad isn’t the kind to constantly boss people around so that can’t be what reminds me of him.
