“I cannot believe such insubordination.” His voice changed from cold calm to barely suppressed anger. “You are not here to indulge your vendettas against normals.” He stepped closer so that his legs were touching my knees. I looked up at his flushed, angry face and was afraid of another supernormal for the first time. He continued, “You are here to learn how to control your abilities, and you can never do that if you are acting like a spoiled child.” He leaned over me and placed his hands on the armrests on either side of me. I shrank away, trapped by his body and his rage. “If you cannot learn that simple lesson, I will –”
“Dan! What are you doing?” Uncle Alex said, coming up and pulling Uncle Dan away from me.
I gasped with relief. I wanted to get up and run out of the room, but my legs felt too weak to hold me. I gripped the edge of the cushion to hide my shaking hands. Uncle Dan wasn’t usually Mr. Cuddly but I’d never seen him like this, so scary.
“She needs to be disciplined,” Uncle Dan said. He looked at me with cold eyes, and I was shaken by his quick shifts between hot and cold temper.
Emma climbed into the den via the window and looked from me to Uncle Dan. She caught her lower lip with her teeth and turned away so quickly she bumped into Aunt Kate who had just hoisted herself in from the window. Aunt Kate steadied Emma by holding her arms until Emma squirmed away to stand with her back against the wall.
I scanned the room and saw that all the Brighthalls were now crammed into our cozy den. Though I hadn’t seen them come in, Hugh, Zoe, and Kevin were clustered together near the windows, which I saw were open with the screen removed.
I sat up in the chair so my feet rested firmly on the ground. My leg muscles tensed, ready to run, but I made myself stay seated.
“Scaring her is not the way to do it,” Uncle Alex said. He was pale. The weak sunlight caught a gleam of sweat on his upper lip.
Uncle Dan’s jaw muscles flexed as he stepped back. Uncle Alex moved closer to me and sat on the coffee table in front of my chair. His expression was grave but gentle. “Olivia, from what Hugh told us, you could have seriously injured that girl.” He shook his head when I started to speak. “It doesn’t matter why you felt provoked. It matters that you tried to hurt a normal.”
I pressed my lips and then my teeth together. No one seemed to care what Mindy had done. Didn’t it matter that she’d spread rumors and taken my boyfriend from me?
Uncle Alex continued while the rest of the Brighthalls stared at me with solemn expressions, except for Kevin, who gave me a tiny wink. “Olivia, there are very specific guidelines for this situation.”
I looked at him with interest. If there were guidelines, then this had happened before. It sort of helped to know that. “Okay, what are they?”
“You must perform an act of kindness towards the normal you hurt.”
Puzzled, I asked, “Like apologize?” I’d already figured Dad would make me do that. I wasn’t looking forward to it but figured I could get through it.
“Yes, that too, but it’s more than that.” Uncle Alex glanced back at Lange. “I think Lange can give you an example.”
Lange stepped away from the window and sighed. To my surprise, my normally calm, composed cousin was flushed. “Yeah, so, I joined the soccer team in high school. Briefly.” He gave an uncomfortable shrug. “I thought I could hold back, you know?” With a half laugh he ran a hand through his hair. “We were playing in a tournament and losing. I got mad at one of our defenders and kicked the ball at him so hard that it broke his leg. Everyone thought it was an accident, but Mom knew it wasn’t,” he said with a wry look at Aunt Kate. “So I had to drive him around for several weeks while he healed.”
I stared at Uncle Alex, feeling my jaw go slack. “What?” I couldn’t believe what they were telling me I had to do.
“Yes, you must make up for what you did – balance the scales if you will.” Uncle Alex’s eyes showed his understanding. “It’s important for us to remember that normals are not inferior.”
I shot to my feet, too angry to stay still. “I know that! Probably better than you. But, but what about what she did to me?”
Uncle Alex got to his feet more slowly, keeping his gaze on mine. “You must right the wrong that you caused.”
Feeling a sense of unreality, I waited for the verdict. What act of kindness would I inflict on Mindy in a lame attempt to balance the scales? “Hey, I saved her life a few weeks ago, couldn’t that count? Like a pay it forward deal?”
Uncle Alex shook his head. “No, this act must be in response to the harm you’ve done now.”
Emma spoke up, startling me since the cousins had mostly been staying silent. “Olivia, didn’t you mention Mindy’s mother wanted you to tutor her? In biology, right?” She smirked, fully aware of what her words were condemning me to do.
I stared back at her, astonished that she remembered the brief conversation I’d had with Kevin while she’d been training nearby. I was still processing when Uncle Alex said, “That sounds like a good plan.” He smiled at me. “Do you think Mindy’s mother is still interested?” He tapped a finger on his thigh. “Hopefully your recent altercation hasn’t changed her mind.” He pulled out his phone. “Do you know her number?”
I swallowed hard and my head felt light. I doubted Mindy’s mother would have a problem with me tutoring Mindy. Mrs. Careen cared too much about her kids’ grades to let something like an almost-fight stand in the way of academic excellence. I knew for a fact that the reason Mindy missed the 8th grade Spring Fling last year was because she’d gotten a B on a paper, and Mrs. Careen made her rewrite it. I also knew Jack had helped her.
I’d been reluctant when Mrs. Careen asked me to help Mindy a month ago; now I was repulsed. I looked at Uncle Alex. “No, I won’t do it!” The thought of even being in the same room with Mindy made me cringe mentally. I could barely imagine carrying on a civil conversation. I didn’t have to imagine Mindy’s reaction; she’d been very clear in her horror at the idea of me tutoring her.
Uncle Dan snapped out, “Yes. You will.” His eyes were dark and cold. “Or you will not be allowed to continue training.”
Aunt Kate gave a soft gasp and clutched the arm of the chair she stood next to, and Uncle Alex put his hand out as if to placate her. He said, “Dan, there’s no need to be so black and white about this. I’m sure Olivia will come around.”
I shook my head so hard that my hair whipped around my face. “No, no.” I held up my hands and stepped to the side, towards the door and away from Uncle Alex. Away from all of the Brighthalls. “No. I am so not going to tutor Mindy. And if that means I can’t train anymore , then that’s fine.” I gripped the doorframe so hard I felt the wood crack under my palm. “I never wanted to come back anyway.” I stepped backwards into the hallway. “It was you guys who made me come back. I’ve had enough of you and your crazy life! If this is what it’s like, then I was right to drop out! I was right!” I stopped, realizing I was yelling. The Brighthalls were all staring at me.
I took a deep breath. “I quit. Again.”
Chapter 18
For the next two weeks, I lived in a suspended state between tranquility and apprehension. Even though I was grounded and had to apologize to Mindy, which was awful, I felt free from the Brighthall family. No worries about training, no worries about not measuring up to my cousins, and no worries about telling Dad where I was after school. I could relax at home, play with Boo, complete all of my homework before dinner, and finish up the last book in a mystery series I was reading. My bruises from training healed, and I didn’t have any new ones to hide.
It helped that Portland’s usually dreary fall weather took a turn to really miserable, with a record number of cold, rainy days following one after another. I was giddy with relief that my afternoons didn’t consist of trekking to the warehouse, sweating for hours, and then going back out into the cold. Hunkering down at home, even though I didn’t have a choice, was much nicer.
I spent the day aft
er I’d told the Brighthalls to get out of my life in fear they would come back and drag me to training somehow. When no one showed up at my door with a new training schedule, I was surprised they would let me go so easily. I had the same ‘now what’ feeling I would get once all the Christmas presents were opened, and I’d gotten the exact presents I wanted. There was no reason to feel let down; after all, I’d gotten what I asked for. I was free to be normal again.
Unfortunately, being normal meant I was dealing with the fallout from my fight with Mindy. The stupid steroids rumor would not die. Mindy’s gaggle of girls had made me their latest project – how many ways could they bully me without anyone in authority catching them? I couldn’t walk down the hall without whispered comments about my hair, my sense of style (or lack thereof), and my loss of Jack as a boyfriend. The last bit was what really stung. Jack and Mindy were a full-on couple, holding hands in the hallways, meeting for lunch, and walking home together after school – all activities I used to do with Jack. Every time I saw them together, I felt like everyone was staring at me and talking about how I’d lost the nicest, cutest guy in school.
At least I didn’t have to add tutoring Mindy to my list of grievances. So there was that.
I grew restless; my body was used to intense exercise, which I couldn’t get in our home gym even though we had pretty good equipment – an elliptical, a treadmill, and weights. The need to release energy started building up, and I found myself spending a couple of hours after school running on the treadmill and then lifting weights, all before Dad got home. Still, it wasn’t enough, and I had trouble sleeping.
I kept waiting for some sort of supernormal freak-out around me. Even if I hadn’t been grounded, I would have avoided public areas. The universe cooperated, and there were no explosions around town. However I did manage to forget my own strength and break a few door handles. And run fast enough to almost break the treadmill.
My restless energy didn’t help me endure Mindy’s taunts. She had no idea how close she came to really being punched, but I was able to keep my head enough to know it would be so much worse if I hit her now. The Brighthalls would show up and drag me off to who knows where for some serious lecturing, or whatever they did to supernormals who actually beat up a semi-innocent normal on purpose. I began carrying a racketball around to squeeze when I was particularly upset. After popping the first one, I carried a few extra in my bag. I went through several balls on my bad days. I told Dad I was taking up juggling and needed a supply of balls to replace the ones I lost. And, incidentally, I learned I was very good at juggling; it helped take my mind off my problems.
After three days of enduring Mindy’s constant poking, I found a good spot to hide out – the physics lab. I took to going there before classes started in the morning and then again at lunch.
At first, even Anna didn’t know where I was. I couldn’t tell her the whole story and didn’t want to pull her into my sucky school life, so I avoided my old friend. Also, I had to focus hard on not using my abilities, and I knew she would notice how distracted I was. In typical Anna manner, she didn’t let that last. On Thursday of my second week in limbo, she plopped down in the chair across from me.
“So this is where you’ve been.” Anna dropped her backpack on the table and began rummaging through it. I’d heard her coming. My stupid super hearing still worked.
“Hey.” I regarded her with equal parts happiness and uneasiness. She wore a determined expression, which could mean I was about to be called out. Her next words eliminated any doubt of her goal in locating me.
“So you’re hiding,” she stated, abandoning her search through her backpack. She leaned back in the chair and crossed her arms.
I frowned and looked down at the table. There wasn’t much point in arguing with her. I was hiding, after all.
“Coward.”
“What?” I jerked my head up to stare at my best friend. “Don’t you know what Mindy and those guys are saying about me?”
“Yeah, so? The Olivia I know would would call them out for being jerks,” She pointed at me. “Weren’t you the one who led the boycott on the school cafeteria chili in fifth grade when they wouldn’t tell us where the meat came from? And when Mindy accused you of cheating off her in math class last year, didn’t you stand up to her and prove that you didn’t?” She cocked her head at me in challenge. “Mmmm?”
My mouth dropped open, but no words came out. Didn’t she see that this was a personal attack, not some abstract issue where I could rally people around me or get a teacher to help?
“Yeah, I know. You’re feeling pretty crappy about Jack.” Anna’s eyes were sympathetic and she leaned forward to put a hand over mine. “It sucks. I’m sorry.” She squeezed my hand.
I gave a shuddering breath and pulled my hand away to wipe away the tears dribbling down my checks. “Yeah, well, we were kind of not together…” I trailed off, not sure what to say about that.
“Yeah, what was up with that? Ever since the bank robbery, you guys were acting like you were fighting or something.”
“Ah.” I mentally shuffled through excuses for mine and Jack’s split but I could think of was how much of relief it would be to tell Anna the truth.
“I mean, you guys used to talk all the time, it was hard to get a word in edgewise sometimes.” She cocked her head. “If I didn’t know Jack better I’d say he was mad that you were the hero and not him.” She made a face at the idea. “Come on, Ollie, you can tell me, I’m your best friend.” She grinned sympathetically. “Even if it’s embarrassing, or,” Her face sobered, “wait, did you guys, you know…?” She blushed a little bit, “you know, go all the way?”
“What?” I was shocked at the direction her line of query had gone. “No, geez, I mean, no.” I opened and closed my mouth a few times before blurting out, “Well, you see it has to do with my mom’s family, who are –” I started to explain, but the bell for first period rang, silencing me.
That was close; I’d almost told her everything. I hadn’t even hesitated. I had just opened my mouth and let the words start pouring out. I pushed back from the lab table and stood. I was a little dizzy. Whether it was from not telling her or from my desire to just blurt out everything, I wasn’t sure which.
Anna cocked her head curiously. “Who are what?”
“Huh?” I shook myself. “Oh, they are really demanding about getting to know me again. Jack didn’t understand.” Lame, but better than the truth. “But I’m done with that. I’m tired of spending time with them.”
“Okay, I get that. I miss you.” Anna stood up, hoisting her backpack over her shoulder.
“Yeah, me too.” I shoved my shaking hands in my pockets, still amazed at how close I’d come to telling Anna everything.
Anna smiled. “Come on.”
Anna walked with me to my next class. Her fierce expression kept my fan club from harassing me, and I was grateful. I smiled to myself – I guess there are things a normal can do to help a supernormal.
Someone bumped into me, hard, and I started to push back until I saw it was Kevin. He looked at me with the same hurt expression he’d given me every time I had seen him over the past two weeks. The first time I’d run into him at school was the Monday after what I was calling my second emancipation. I was getting my French and math books out of my locker when I saw him coming towards me from the other end of the hall. Nervous about him possibly confronting me, I shoved my books into my backpack, slammed my locker shut so hard it was wedged shut the next time I went to open it, and pushed through the crowded hallway in the opposite direction. The next time he saw me, he turned and walked away.
I hadn’t seen Hugh at all; maybe he was using his abilities to avoid me.
This time Kevin faced me. His lips were pressed together so tightly there were little white wrinkles around his mouth. I started to push past him, but he put up his hand to halt me. I stopped reluctantly. “What?”
Kevin’s gaze flicked to Anna, who stood by my side, w
atching him with an unreadable expression. Kevin looked back at me. “Uncle Alex would like to speak to you.”
Ah, here it was: the yank on the chain I’d been waiting for since my blowup. It had taken them longer than I expected. “I’m sorry, but I can’t. I meant what I said.”
Kevin started to speak and then stopped. He looked frustrated, either by his mission or his inability to speak freely because Anna was there. I didn’t feel like helping him by sending Anna away, so I just stood there, watching him.
He blew out his breath. “Okay, whatever. I told him you weren’t ready.” He spun around and marched off. I knew him well enough to know he was resisting using his bouncing ability to leave more quickly.
Anna snorted and pulled at my arm. “Come on, let’s get to class.”
Later that afternoon, as if Kevin’s request had opened the door, Hugh stepped in front of me as I was leaving school. I ran smack into him because I was trying to avoid eye contact with some of Mindy’s cohorts standing on the front steps. I reared back. “Watch it!”
Hugh stood there with his hands in his pockets. If I didn’t know him, I would have said he was relaxed, but he was jiggling one knee, showing his nerves. “Olivia, Uncle Alex would like to talk to you.”
“Didn’t Kevin tell you I said to leave me alone?”
Hugh shrugged. “Yeah, but that doesn’t change the fact that Uncle Alex needs to talk to you.”
“So what? I don’t want to talk to him.”
Kevin came up behind Hugh.
“You don’t have a choice.” Kevin poked me in the arm. “We’ve given you a few weeks to calm down, and now you have to come back.”
I stared at him with shock. They’d just been lying in wait? Like cats waiting for a vole? “Look, I told you I was done, and I meant it.” I ignored the little voice murmuring that I’d missed the Brighthalls. Well, most of them.
“Not an option.” Hugh crossed his arms and stood with his legs braced. He was like a wall blocking my route down the steps.
The Supernormal Legacy_Book 1_Dormant Page 15
