by Sarah Carter
“Connor,” Lexi pleads.
He calmly replies, “No, I won’t stop until I change your mind, but we can be friends first.”
“You really aren’t going to relent?” Lexi asks, with a reluctant smirk.
Connor looks like he is thinking and then says, “Probably not.”
“I will just try to be repulsive,” she states.
“Please, just be you. If we are going to be friends, that’s all I ask. I want to be me, and I want you to be you. That simple.”
“Fine.”
He sits up taller and places his hands on his chest. “All right, now let’s proceed with how awesome I am. Wait to be awed.” He spreads his hands in a wide arch. “Awed.”
Lexi’s face falls into her hand. “Oh my god.”
“I don’t know if I believe in God,” Conner says.
She goes back to dissecting the pig. “My family has its own religion.”
“Really? What do you believe?”
“I can’t tell you.”
Looking really excited, Connor gasps, “Are you part of a cult?”
“No, but kind of a secret society.”
“Interesting,” Connor exhales. “How do I become a member?”
“You can’t. You have to be born into it,” Lexi whispers, pulling something out of the pig. She places it on the tray and goes back to work.
There is a pause, and then Connor asks, “Is that why you can’t date?”
“Pretty much,” she sighs, putting more stuff on the tray.
“I’m not a member of this society.”
“Yup.”
“What happens if you fall in love with someone not part of this group?”
Lexi stops and looks down. “It wouldn’t matter if I did; I couldn’t be with that person.”
“That sounds like a cult.”
She shakes her head and smiles. “It’s not a cult. I promise you.”
“If you fell in love with someone else, they would force you not be with them. That screams cult,” Connor state seriously, giving her a worried look.
“Ugh,” Lexi grunts. “I wish I could explain it to you. Like I really can’t be with anyone outside of the society. Like really can’t. I’m super important. There are expectations.”
“So, you’ll find a guy in this society,” Connor says. He looks at her and then smiles. “Doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying.”
Lexi laughs. She can’t help but laugh at his eagerness. “No, I’m going to be the crazy hedgehog lady.”
His eyebrows furrow. “Hedgehog?”
“Maddie says because I’m different, I have to have a different animal.”
“Maddie? You met my cousin?” Connor counters.
Smiling, Lexi replies, “Yeah. I think we’re going to be friends.”
“She’s the shit. I adore her. Super protective of her,” Connor says, looking into the pig. He makes a face.
Lexi goes back to dissecting the pig. “She seems to handle her own. She put Jackie in her place.”
“Maddie’s a pistol, but she’s had some serious shit go down.”
Suddenly, Lexi is bombarded with visions. They are horrifying. Finally, she takes in a deep breath and says, “What the...”
“What? You have that weird look again,” Connor says, narrowing his eyes.
She closes her eyes to center herself, trying to hold the anger in. “Connor,” she starts.
“Yeah.”
“Sometimes people reap what they sow,” Lexi heaves.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Lexi turns to him with a cold stone stare. “Karma’s a bitch. A vengeful bitch.”
Connor stares back at her and then leans in. “How do you know? No one knows. She moved here to get away from it. No one here knows.”
Calming herself, Lexi starts in on the pig again. “I don’t know anything, Connor. Sometimes people get what they deserve.” She thinks, Tomorrow night. My house. Mission. Don’t let anyone know. 11 o’clock.
Score! I’m in, is one response
The other is, Where my bitches at? I don’t know what it is, but it’s a secret and in the middle of the night. I’m totally in and totally pumped. Are we wearing all black?
Probably a good idea.
Are we breaking the law?
Maybe...probably...okay, yes.
BOOM! See ya then.
I will bring the snacks.
Lexi tries not to laugh. Connor is staring at her and then quietly says, “Some people don’t get what they deserve. Some people get away with it, and it doesn’t matter.”
“It will be taken care of,” Lexi whispers, making a few small incisions.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Connor asks.
“Secret societies have their secrets.”
He looks at apprehensively and asks, “How do you know what happened?”
“Lucky guess,” Lexi exhales, making a few more incisions and then taking something out.
“Another lucky guess.”
“I’m a good guesser.”
Connor leans in really close. “Don’t say anything to her. She was in the eighth grade. Guy was nineteen. She fell victim to the online game. She met up with him because he said the right things. The next thing she knew, he was holding her down.”
“Why is he out?” Lexi whispers.
“How do you know that?” Connor asks.
She nudges her head. “Your facial expressions through this whole conversation. You are easy to read. How did he not go to jail?”
“There wasn’t evidence, or so they say. He denied it. Denied even meeting her.”
“But she was thirteen! That’s sick. How could he be out?”
He shrugs his shoulders. “Well, you know, sometimes people get away with things. People don’t know why.”
“What’s his name?” Lexi growls. Connor just stares at her. “What’s his name, Connor?”
“Alan...Alan Jerren. He lives in the middle of nowhere, like an hour from here. Why?”
Lexi growls again. “This conversation never took place.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Do you want justice?” Lexi asks.
“Of course. Why? What are you going to do?”
She goes back to dissecting. “A girl can’t tell all her secrets.”
“I will be your slave for the entire school year if something happens.”
Looking him in the eyes, Lexi articulates, “This. Conversation. Never. Took. Place.”
Connor nods. “Got it.”
“I mean it, Connor. Not a word,” Lexi stresses.
He puts his hand over his heart. “I swear, on my mom’s memory, that I have no idea what you’re even talking about.”
Lexi sits up quickly. “Your mom’s memory?”
A look of sadness sweeps across his face. “She died when I was seven. MS. She wasn’t even supposed to have me. I think my stepdad blames me.”
“stepdad?”
Snorting, Connor says, “Yeah. His name is Jordan. He’s a douchebag. My mom was pregnant when they met. She hid the MS. I was born, and she slowly declined. My stepdad had to take care of me when it got bad. She made him promise to raise me, which he did.”
“That’s nice,” Lexi says, smiling.
An odd look creeps across Connor’s face, and he stares down at the table. After a moment, he whispers, “It wasn’t the same when mom died. It was hard on...everyone.”
“It’s okay,” Lexi whispers, putting her hand on him
He looks at her and his eyes light up. “Whoa.”
“What?”
Connor softens, and he says, “I feel so calm.”
Lexi quickly withdraws her hand and goes back to the pig. “Some say I have that effect on people.”
“Magic?” Connor quips.
“Maybe,” Lexi half laughs.
“Dude, what would you do if you had powers? Like magic powers.”
“I don’t think it’d be as spectacula
r as you think,” Lexi sighs.
He puts his hands on the table and exclaims, “Are you kidding me!? I want magical powers.”
“Okay, throw you a curve ball,” she says, turning to him.
“What?” he asks.
“What if you were the only person with powers?”
Connor presses his lips together and then replies, “Like, no one else can do anything?”
“Only a select few can.”
Smiling, Connor puts his hands out. “I’d create a super group.”
“What if everyone paled in comparison to you?” Lexi asks.
“I’d be uber powerful,” Connor says, completely excited.
Lexi looks back at the experiment. “I would think it’d get a little lonely,” she whispers.
“No way. I’d be the most popular person in the world!”
“What if people feared you?” Lexi inquires, looking out of the corner of her eye.
He shifts in his seat, looking deep in thought. “Because I was so powerful?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t know,” Connor replies.
“Well, I think it’d be lonely. What if no one wanted to be with you because you were so different? I think people would steer clear of you. You’re different. Not like them.”
Connor stares at her, obviously going over what she said. Finally, he pops up and says, “Yeah, but I’d still have magical powers. I could just do things to them.”
“Well, yes,” Lexi laughs because she knows she has. “There is that. What magical power would you choose?”
“Ooo,” Connor draws out. “Good question. Ummm, I would say moving stuff with my mind.”
“Telekinesis,” Lexi replies.
“Is that what it’s called?” Connor asks.
“Yup.”
Connor smiles his amazing smile. It makes Lexi’s heart flutter. It’s then that she realizes she’s in trouble. She likes him. She really likes him. This isn’t good. Connor leans forward and inquires, “What would you choose?”
“Shapeshifting.”
“Interesting. I didn’t even think of that.”
“I’ve always wanted to shapeshift,” Lexi sighs. She picks the scalpel back up and goes towards the pig.
Looking at her, Connor says, “Into what?”
“Anything. I think it’d be cool.”
“I still want telakenetis.”
“Tela-ke-nee-sis,” Lexi enunciates.
“Telekinesis.”
Lexi smiles and praises, “Good job!”
Suddenly, Mr. Johnson is in front of them. “How’s the experiment going? You don’t seem to be that far.”
She smirks and replies, “The pig had cancer. I’ve been removing the tumors.”
“You are doing what?” both Mr. Johnson and Connor look at the tray.
“My dad and both my grandparents are surgeons. We need to remove the tumors to get to the organs.”
Mr. Johnson looks even closer. “You’ve done it with such precision.”
“Well, you said dissect the pig. So, we did.”
“Did you have a hand in this, Connor?”
Looking a bit shocked, Connor says, “No, I’ve been watching and learning. It’s cool.”
“I want to keep this and show the other classes. I’m going to show this right now.” Mr. Johnson grabs the tray and turns around. “Class, stop what you are doing. I want to show you something.”
When Mr. Johnson is far enough away, Connor spins on Lexi. “I had no idea that’s what you were doing.”
“Figured as much,” Lexi laughs.
“How were you talking and doing surgery at the same time?” Connor asks in disbelief.
“You’d be surprised at who I really am. I’m smarter than anyone I know. I’m like Google.”
Connor leans forward. “Why are you here and not at some academy?”
“The same reason I don’t go around correcting people. The same reason I don’t speak perfect English all the time. Or Italian. Or any of the other languages I know. It would make me stick out.”
“How many languages do you know?”
She gives him a look. “You don’t want to know. I just keep it all in so I don’t look like a freak.”
“You’re not a freak,” he states.
“If you really knew me you’d change your mind,” Lexi snorts.
“Let me get to know you. I will make that decision for myself.”
Biting her lip, Lexi replies, “I don’t think I could show you that part.”
He narrows his eyes. “So, you’re going to hide things from me?”
Lexi sighs, “Not for the reasons that you think.”
“You’re very cryptic.”
“I don’t mean to be. For reasons I cannot get into, I have to hide.”
“Like witness protection?”
Shaking her head and waving her hands, Lexi says, “No. No. No one will ever mess with me.”
“Because you have all those weapons,” Connor implies.
“Sure,” Lexi draws out.
“That’s badass.”
LEXI BLAKELY!!!!!!!!!!!
What dad?
Watch what you say!
Are you listening to my conversation?
Anytime shapeshifter is said, we get notice.
Our technology is out of this world. Ha ha ha ha.
This is not funny!
Dad, you should have listened to the conversation. We were talking about magical powers. I didn’t actually use my powers. Or say I had powers. Or say anything that would out us. He’s talking like hocus pocus magic.
I don’t care. You never bring up shapeshifting.
Dad, whatever. I’m more pissed you’re listening in on me!
We weren’t actually listening in on you. Be careful with this boy.
How did you know I said shapeshifter?
There is silence.
Dad.
We don’t listen all the time.
You have me bugged!
Well...no.
Watch this.
Lexi, don’t do anything.
She turns to Connor. Lexi covers her ears and mouths for Connor to do the same. He puts his hands up and covers his ears. She closes her eyes and then snaps them back open. A sudden electrical charge sweeps the school. Everything shuts down and alarms start to ring. Connor gives her a weird look.
Lexi Rose Blakely. You are in so much TROUBLE!
I bet the microchips in me aren’t working now...huh?
You are grounded.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Blah, blah blah. School’s out. I will see you later.
Get home. Now.
No. I’m pissed off. You don’t want me home. I’m not coming home until I’ve calmed down. Remember me mad, Dad?
Lexi. I’m madder than you. Do you realize what you just did to the school?
Oh, whatever. Send some Neturu in and help fix it. Whine. Whine. Cry. Cry.
Oh my god. I’m so mad at you.
Oh my god. I’m so mad at you. Come on, Dad. Send in Charlie and Jeff. They will have the school up and running in time for the morning bell.
That would be a little obvious.
Whatever. Then don’t complain. That’s also the last time we put anything in me.
We have to be able to track you. We have no other way.
Dad, I’m the most powerful being on this planet. What’s going to happen?
I don’t know. You can’t see your own future.
Well, no, I can’t, but still, what’s going to happen? You do realize that I can kill someone with my eyes closed, right? Like, never moving. Just kill them.
Well, that’s a cheery thought.
I’m going to go, Dad.
You are grounded.
No, I’m not. Let me go out with my friends. I made friends, Dad.
Lexi.
Come on, Daddy, please?
You sure are sending out that Daddy thing today. Fine, go have fun. I will send in techs to help with the school.
You’re still grounded.
Dad. I never leave the house. What’s grounding? Forcing me to go out?
Ugh. That’s true. Go. Have fun. Please be careful. We have no way to monitor you now.
I’ll be fine. Super being, Dad. SUPER BEING.
I got it.
Bye.
Love you.
Love you, too, Daddy.
“Where are you?” Connor yells.
“What?” Lexi counters.
“You looked lost in space.”
Her eyebrows go up. “Sorry, deep in thought.”
“You could think in all this noise?” The alarms still pierce the air.
“Yup!” Lexi yells back. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Don’t have to ask me twice,” Connor laughs. They grab their bags and run out of the room. The hallway is full of students, going both ways. Connor reaches behind him and grabs Lexi’s hand. They move their way through the crowd. She holds onto him for dear life. Pretty much only because she wants to. They make it to a locker. Connor turns to Lexi. “31. 5. 29.”
She smiles. “Why are you giving me your locker combination?”
“The important people have it,” Connor says.
“Jackie?”
Disgust sweeps over his face. “No. God no. Like I’d let her go through my things.”
“But I can?” Lexi laughs.
“Oh yeah,” Connor laughs. “Open it up.”
Lexi turns and does the combination. When she opens it, her keys are on the top shelf. “SCORE!”
Connor laughs. “Told you you’d get them back.”
Turning to him, Lexi asks, “Are we leaving?”
“We need to make a stop first,” Connor says. “Let’s go.” He slams his locker and leads her down the hall. The meander through the school until they get to a set of doors. Connor turns to Lexi. “This is my sanctuary.” Lexi smiles at his excitement. He opens the door and leads her inside.
