Entwined
Page 13
“Oh,” he says suddenly, turning to look at me. “You’re not used to people eating this much, right? This isn’t normal.” He puts the chocolate down on the empty platter.
“It’s OK,” I assure him, lying through my teeth. “When did you last eat?”
“At lunch time, at school. But all I had was one hotdog, a couple of fatcakes and three drinks. Oh, and a bar of chocolate. And that was hours ago.” My eyes widen and he gives me a sheepish look. “You must think I’m a pig. I’m sorry, I’ve never had anyone over before – I forgot my manners.”
“No, I’m sorry,” I blurt out. “It’s just…”
“Strange?” He sighs. “I burn a lot of energy. I need a lot of food to keep me going, and a lot of sugar.”
“A whole lot of sugar,” I mutter, taking another bite of chocolate. “Wait a minute.” I laugh. “So that time at school when I introduced you to Wiki and Lebz, that extra food wasn’t for me?”
He scratches his nose. “Um, no. Lebz was giving me this look, like it was rude of me to eat so much when you didn’t have any food yet. She was giving me a lesson in gentlemanly behaviour.”
Now I really start laughing. Trust Lebz to do something like that within two minutes of meeting the guy.
He grins. “Is this putting you off?”
“No!” I manage to return his smile. “I just wish you had warned me.” I give him a curt nod as I polish off the chocolate. “Telekinesis, blue sparks, cleaning fetish, enormous appetite, and sugar cravings. Anything else I need to know?”
Rakwena laughs. “That’s enough for now. I don’t want to ruin the mystery.”
I raise my eyebrows at him, hoping that was a joke. “If you use so much energy, you must get quite tired.”
“Yes.”
“But when do you sleep?” I demand, watching him pick up the chocolate slab once more. “School all day, work in the evening…”
“Not every day.” He licks chocolate off his fingers. “We close at six, so I’m home by seven. But I sleep quite deeply.” He looks at me out of the corner of his eye.
“How deeply?” I ask with a theatrical sigh.
“I sort of… pass out. I can doze off, slow my heart rate down, but I’m essentially awake. If I sleep properly I lose consciousness. My heart rate slows almost to a standstill so my body can repair whatever I’ve messed up – burst blood vessels or torn muscle if I’ve been using my gift a lot.”
I shift in my seat. “Are you serious?”
He nods, his mouth full of chocolate.
“But if you were attacked in your sleep you wouldn’t be able to fight back!”
“I could, it would just take me a few minutes to wake up.”
“In a few minutes you’d be dead,” I point out, unimpressed. “What’s the point of being powerful if any non-freak can kill you in your sleep?”
“That’s why I don’t sleep much.” He crumples up the chocolate wrapper and leans back into the sofa. “An hour or so a day, and only here, where I know I’m safe.”
I make a face. “That’s worse than Superman’s kryptonite or Lebz’s love for Kelly.” Then I have a sobering thought. “I wonder what my weakness is.”
“That’s easy – your weakness is your unwillingness to use your strength.” There’s that smug look, just when I thought he had banished it for good. “You know I’m right.”
“I know you’re starting to bore me,” I retort.
“Face it, Connie – you don’t want to take responsibility for anything.”
I bristle. “I’m taking responsibility for Rose, in case you didn’t notice.”
“I know, and I’m impressed.” His smile dissolves my anger.
I sigh. “OK, I’ll admit I have a lot to learn.”
“That’s why you have me.” He reaches around me and picks up a book. “Let’s get this school stuff out of the way so that on Friday we can do some real work.”
I glance towards the kitchen. “Don’t you think you should check on the – ?”
He’s already on his feet, dashing to the kitchen. I shake my head. He’s going to have to eat that food all by himself – but somehow I don’t think he’ll mind.
The barrier around Rose’s mind is a hedge that has overdosed on fertiliser. Every time I manage to hack a hole in the hedge it grows back, covering up the hole before I have a chance to get in. The next time I try it, the hedge is twice as high and ten times as dense.
“I’m sorry,” she says, rubbing her temples with her fingers. “I wish I could be more helpful, but my head just doesn’t want to co-operate!”
“It’s not your fault,” I assure her. I blink and shake my head, allowing my attention to drift from her inaccessible thoughts back to my surroundings. I look around the campus, taking in the lawn, the library, the students trickling in, and then my eyes stray to the necklace. I have to find a way to get that damn thing off. Rakwena has a lot of theories about the Puppetmaster, but they’re just that – theories. Until we get our hands on the necklaces we’ll never be quite sure what we’re dealing with.
“Maybe I’m doing something wrong,” I muse aloud. “Maybe I’m just not qualified for this. I wish I knew where my grandfather was.”
“Me too.” Rose sighs. “I’m tired. Can we stop for today?”
“Of course.” I give her a sheepish grin. I steal another peek at the necklace. I haven’t tried asking for it since that first time, but I think I should risk it. Time is ticking away and I can’t wait for Ntatemogolo forever. “Can I see your necklace?”
She reaches into her shirt.
“What I mean is, could you take it off for a minute?”
Her eyes narrow. “No.”
“Rose.” I take both her hands in mine. “It’s only me. I promise I won’t do anything. I just want to see it, that’s all. And I’ll give it right back to you.”
She snatches her hands away. “No!”
“Rose, please.” I take a chance and reach up towards the necklace.
She moves so fast I barely have time to register it. I blink and she’s sitting at the other end of the bench, baring her teeth and hissing like a cat. I feel a stinging sensation on the back of my hand and when I look down I see four scratches. As I watch they turn from pink to red, blood rising to the surface. I open my bag in silence, looking for some tissue.
Instantly Rose’s aura shifts. “I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”
“It’s nothing.” I smile at her and hide the scratches with a sheet of tissue.
“I’m so sorry,” she whimpers, scooting closer to me. “You shouldn’t ask me to take it off, Connie. It makes me angry, and I get strange when I’m angry.”
“I noticed.” I look at her. “Did you notice how fast you were? In a second you scratched me and moved all the way over there. Can all the girls move like that?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. But whatever we do makes us very tired.”
Ah. That would explain the energy drinks. “How tired?”
“Really, really tired. When we get home we just go straight to bed, and in the morning we’re really hungry.”
Like Rakwena. My phone beeps, telling me it’s time to go. I’ve started setting my alarm because we get so engrossed in our attempts to hack into Rose’s brain, and the last thing we need is to get caught by Amantle.
“OK, Rose. Tomorrow.”
She nods weakly. “The weekend is coming up.”
“I know.” My stomach turns as I wonder what horrible things she and her friends will be forced to do. “But there won’t be many more.”
“Really?” Her eyes light up.
“No promises, but I’m working on it.” I give her a quick hug. I’m starting to think of her as the sister I never had, someone who looks up to me. Someone I have to protect.
“I need to work harder,” I tell my friends at lunch, slumping against the bench.
“If you work any harder you’ll fall apart,” says Wiki. “You’re already exhausted.”
“Not to
mention the state of your hair.” Lebz still hasn’t forgiven me for doing away with the sleek, straight look.
I yawn and take a sip of water. “I really need my grandfather.”
“Oops,” Lebz mutters. “Thuli’s coming.”
I’m torn between excitement and dismay. I want to see him, but I was hoping for a quiet, relaxing lunch. Relaxing isn’t possible when he’s around.
“Hello, everyone.”
“Hi,” say Lebz and Wiki, before making their excuses and leaving us alone.
He lounges on the bench beside me, gazing into my eyes. “Hello.”
“How are you?” My heart is behaving now. It still beats faster, but now I can maintain my composure. It’s a shame, really – it means by the time we get to our first anniversary I’ll be used to him. No more butterflies. I’ll miss them.
“Wonderful. Almost perfect.”
I look at him and smile. “Why almost?”
He touches the collar of my shirt. “I’m having a little get-together at my place tomorrow night. If you come, then I’ll be perfect.”
I have to laugh. Trust Thuli to make something so corny sound so charming. “I’ll have to talk to my dad.”
“Convince him.” His fingers drop from my collar to my shoulder. “It’s a matter of life and death. Your friends can come too, of course. It’ll be perfectly safe.”
“Will there be alcohol?”
His smile says yes even as his lips form the word, “No.”
“I’ll ask.”
“Good. It will be the perfect chance for us to spend some time alone together, don’t you think?” His fingers are now dancing down my arm.
At the moment I’m finding it difficult to think at all. “Uh huh.”
He takes my hand and interlaces our fingers, then leans close to me and whispers, “I’d love to know how it would feel to kiss you.”
Oh my God. There goes my heart again, back to square one. His breath is hot against my ear, sending very pleasant, very inappropriate sensations through me.
“Too bad we’re in school. But don’t worry. I can find out tomorrow night.” He moves away, smiling. “See you tomorrow, Connie. Call me tonight and let me know what your father says.”
I nod. I don’t trust myself to speak after that. Even after he’s glided away and Lebz has rushed to my side, I still find it difficult to unstick my tongue from the roof of my mouth.
“What are you thinking, letting the guy practically seduce you in front of everyone? What if teachers were watching?”
“Huh?” I move my lips around, testing their flexibility.OK, I think the spell is wearing off. “Lebz, he invited me to his party tomorrow.”
“Oh, that.” Lebz slumps against the bench. “That’s all?”
“He said he wants to kiss me.”
“What?” she yells. “He said what?”
“Who said what?” asks Wiki, back from the library. “Thuli? What did I miss?”
“He invited her to his party so he can corrupt her,” says Lebz.
Well. That about sums it up, doesn’t it?
Wiki gasps. “Connie, no! Don’t throw everything away over some silly boy.”
“You don’t even like parties,” Lebz points out.
Wiki looks relieved. “True. You hate parties. There’s no point in going at all.”
“No point,” agrees Lebz. “Silly idea.”
“I’m going.”
They stare at me in horror. “Your father won’t let you,” says Lebz, her voice filled with hope.
“Of course he will.” I smile, imagining Thuli taking me in his arms like some cinematic hero. “I never ask to go out. He has to let me.”
“People will be drinking,” says Wiki. “There might even be drugs.”
“And sex,” adds Lebz desperately. “Lots of it, in dark corners, with no shame. You’ll be traumatised for life.”
I roll my eyes at their pathetic attempts to dissuade me. “I’m going.”
There’s a moment of silence. I can hear the wheels turning in their heads.
“Then so am I,” says Wiki, in a martyred tone.
“Me too.” Lebz nods firmly. “And we’ll bring Lizard.”
I snort. “I don’t think he’s invited. Even if he is, he’d never come. He can’t stand Thuli, remember?” I toss my head. “Come if you want. It’ll be fun. But don’t think I’m going to let you hover over me like mother hens. If I want to be alone with Thuli, that’s up to me. Got it?”
They nod obediently, looking at me with innocent eyes. They’ve forgotten that I know exactly what they’re thinking.
I’m the last person left in the classroom; it’s my turn to clean up today. After wiping the board I clean the duster, pick up the litter and arrange the chairs and desks in their proper order. A shadow falls across the doorway.
“Rakwena! What are you doing here?”
“Is it true?” His voice is barely audible.
“Is what true?”
“You’re going to Thuli’s party tomorrow?” His eyes are blazing with anger.
Lebz and her big mouth. “Yes.”
“You’re seriously going to go out with him?” he bellows.
I recoil at the force of his reaction. “It’s not a big deal; just a little get-together. There’ll be other kids from school there. Lebz and Wiki are coming too.”
He licks his lips and lapses into a long, sullen silence.
I sigh as I push the last chair into place. “What?”
“Three years.” He scratches his nose, rubs his forehead, and cracks his knuckles. “He never gave you the time of day, now all of a sudden he wants to be friends. After all those KIA girls, suddenly he wants you. Can you trust the kind of guy who just drops people when he loses interest?”
Now I’m really getting angry. “What is your problem?”
Rakwena sighs. “Connie, you’re not stupid. Tell me you don’t really think that idiot is interested in you.”
Ouch. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised – I thought the same thing at first. But I never expected Rakwena to agree. Obviously he thinks what everyone else thinks – I’m far too ordinary for a guy like Thuli. “I think it’s time for me to go.” I pick up my bag and try to walk past him, but he blocks the doorway.
“He’s only paying attention to you because he saw us together,” he goes on, twisting the knife deeper. “He’s curious about me – he always has been, and now he thinks he can use you to figure me out.”
I’m so stunned by this egotistical tirade that I have to laugh. I turn to face him. “Listen up, Lizard. Not everything is about you. I know you’re used to being the mystery man, but some of us have more important things to do than figure you out. You’re just pissed off because I have someone more interesting to hang out with. Well, get over it.”
He grabs my hand. The usual tingle has increased to an almost painful crackle. “Connie, I didn’t mean it like that…”
I wrench my hand out of his grip. “I don’t care what you meant.” I slip my bag over my shoulder, push past him and walk away as fast as I can so he can’t see the tears starting. Why should I care what he thinks? He’s never had a friend before. He doesn’t know how the world works and he definitely doesn’t know anything about Thuli.
Lebz is waiting for me by the gate, and Thuli is standing a short distance away with his friends. When I walk past, he reaches for my hand and winks. Rakwena is so wrong. I’m the mind-reader. I sense Thuli’s interest in me, his desire to know me better. Right now, as our fingers touch briefly, I can feel his interest grow. I look into his eyes and smile. He’s radiating a field so strong there’s no way I could miss it.
Lebz grabs my arm and pulls me away. “God!” she whispers when we’re out of earshot. “Have you noticed the way he looks at you? It’s like he wants to eat you up and lick his fingers!”
Yep, I’ve noticed. Rakwena might be the most intriguing kid in school, but the person Thuli is after is me.
Chapter Eleven
“Someone from school is having a party at his house, and most of the kids will be there. Lebz and Wiki are going,” I add, to reassure him.
“OK.” He frowns. “But why are you going?”
“For fun, Dad.”
He’s confused. He can’t understand why I’ve suddenly become interested in what other kids define as fun. “But you don’t like parties.”
“True,” I say with a sigh, “but I think it’s time for me to loosen up a little. I’m young and I should be more sociable, get to know more people.”
“Yes, but…” He pushes his glasses up on his nose. “Where is this party?”
“Phakalane. Lebz and Wiki and I will go with Lebz’s brother, and then he’ll pick us up afterwards. I’ll stay over at Lebz’s house and come home in the morning.”
“Hmm.” He drums his fingers against the table. “I see. Well, Elijah wouldn’t go unless it was perfectly respectable.”
For a split-second I can’t remember who Elijah is. It’s been so long since I called Wiki by his real name. “Of course not.”
He nods. “All right, love. You can go.”
Yes! I fling my arms around his neck, almost knocking off his glasses. “Thank you, Dad!”
“You’re welcome.” He pushes me away and gives me a suspicious look. “Is there going to be a boy at this party?”
I giggle. “Of course there will be boys.”
“What I mean is, will there be a particular boy there? A boy who, maybe, you would like to spend some time with?”
I can’t hold back a smile. “Maybe.”
He nods and smiles, but his smile wavers. “Do you want to tell me about it?”
“Not yet. Soon, I promise.”
Poor Dad. Right now he’s wishing I could go back to being seven years old.