by Sarah Biglow
Why does a public library need keypad entry to rare books?
The room was dimly lit, and a thick cloud of dust motes floated through the air. I pulled out my phone and turned on the flashlight app to better see the shelve numbers. The clock ticked over the six, and I’d only managed to put back one of the books before realizing the last one had no reference tag on the spine. In a huff, I marched back to the circulation desk. This would have to be someone else’s problem. My shift was over.
I reached the desk and the lights went out, plunging the library into darkness. This isn’t right. The library doesn’t close until eight-thirty on weeknights. The fact no one panicked also sent danger signals to my brain, spurring me to action. My hindbrain told me not to turn on my flashlight, it would only draw whoever had done this to me, so I fumbled blindly for my bag. I slid the book inside and slowly crept toward the exit. I held my breath as I eased the one non-automatic door open. Damp air hit me in the face as I ducked onto the street, grateful for the yellow pools of light cast by the streetlights. I turned back to look at the library and swore I saw someone watching me. A skinny guy with a distinctive tattoo of a dagger on his neck and a buzz cut.
Jason? No, it can’t be him.
Fear immobilized me as the memory of his hands grabbing me flashed before my eyes. He stared me down but kept his distance. The fact he wasn’t advancing must have freed me from my paralysis. My heart hammered in my chest as I took off at a run. I didn’t stop until I slammed into the back of Papi’s truck ten minutes later. I bent double, hands pressed to my knees until I caught my breath and my heart slowed to a less erratic cadence. I should tell Papi about seeing Jason, but I knew what he would do. The police would be knocking on our door in no time and I couldn’t handle going through that again. A part of me felt guilty over ratting him out in the first place. I shouldered my bag and headed inside through the garage, trying to hide the panic. Papi was sitting in the living room flipping between the evening news and game shows. He was dressed in a uniform jumpsuit and the remains of a TV dinner sat on the table beside him.
“How was your first shift at work, mija?” he asked, setting the remote aside.
“Fine.”
“Just fine?”
“It’s a job at the library. Nothing really happened. I helped people check out books.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re getting to meet people.” He stood and gathered his plate. “Did you eat?”
“Yes.” Normally I wouldn’t mind the small talk when I got home, but tonight I wanted to be alone. I hated blowing him off, though. “I’m going to grab a shower and head to bed early. Good luck at your new job, Papi.”
He closed the distance between us. “Everything okay?”
“Yes. I’ve got a headache, that’s all.”
He kissed my forehead and gave me another smile. “Okay. I’ll see you in the morning. I’ll have my cell phone if you need anything.”
“I’ll be fine. I promise.”
I gave him a quick hug and headed down the hall to my bedroom. I tossed my bag by the foot of my bed and let out a slow breath. Jason appearing at the library flashed through my thoughts again and sent shivers down my spine. Pulling out a nightshirt, I ducked into the adjoining bathroom and started the hot water. My thoughts shifted to my impending afternoon with Spencer. I feared getting to know one another in person would somehow ruin the friendship we’d built online. But I had to admit, no matter how anxious it made me a part of me was still excited to have one friend in this new place.
Chapter Five
Spencer
Nervous energy coursed through me all day at school. My dream of meeting Marisol was coming true. I had to believe the ease we shared online would translate to the real world now that we’d gotten the awkward introductions out of the way. At present, I stood in front of my locker, the end of school bell about to ring. Before I could do the combination, the lock jiggled, clicked open, and flew out of the clasp keeping the door shut.
“What do you want, Tina?” I refused to let her dampen my mood.
“Try not to scare the new chick, Spence.”
“Why don’t you mind your own business?”
“I’m just looking out for you.”
“We both know that’s not true.” I turned to look her in the eye. After all the time we spent together I was still surprised by how bright blue her eyes were. They were accented by the fact she had a habit of dying her normally strawberry blonde hair to match. Her mother hated it.
She leaned against the cool metal of the locker beside mine. “Just because you found your internet girlfriend in real life doesn’t mean she’ll stick around. Why is she different from everyone else?”
I opened the locker and shoved my backpack inside. “Why do you care, Tina? Honestly, ever since we started … working together, you’ve been on me for every girl I date. Hell, Sylvia told me you warned her off dating me, so thanks.”
She cocked her head to one side, as if trying to read me. Damn it, that’s my trick. “I want to make sure they’re worthy of you. And in case you missed it, the population of this school is decidedly unworthy. Why do you think I’m single?”
Because you’re a blue-haired hacker, who can’t mind her own business, who is chasing guys who aren’t interested? I exhaled and adjusted my glasses, pushing them farther up my nose. “I can handle this on my own. So, butt out. I don’t need relationship advice from you.”
Her face fell a little as I slammed the locker door shut, yanked the lock from her hand, and secured it with a decisive ‘click’. I stormed off before I could catch any of her thoughts, certain they wouldn’t improve my mood. As soon as I was around the corner, I stopped and leaned against the wall to gather myself. Snippets of people’s thoughts drifted through my brain. Never a good sign when I couldn’t block them out.
“Get it together,” I chided myself. I massaged the bridge of my nose and took several deep breaths. Now was not the time to lose control of my abilities. This first date was far too important to mess up.
The voices in my head died down and I made my way toward the first floor. I caught sight of Declan standing with his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Lissette. He had one arm draped around her shoulders while she chatted with a few of her friends. Apparently, they were back on. I wished he could be open about how he really felt. Tina’s thoughts sometimes drifted to imagining dating Declan, but for some unexplained reason she kept trying to ruin my life and not his. I gave him a brief nod. He met my gaze and I heard, “Don’t screw up,” loud and clear in my head. It was as much encouragement as I was going to get from him. Checking myself in the glass of the trophy case by the front door I burst out into the springtime sunshine.
I did a cursory inspection of the people hanging out on the front steps but didn’t spot Marisol. Good, I was early. I would hate to be late on our first date. I shoved my hands in my pockets to keep from fidgeting. No matter how cool I tried to appear, first dates—and second and third, if I’m honest—made me nervous. Being able to read a girl’s mind sounds like it would be great. Most of the time it makes me want to gouge out my own eyes. I’d learned more than I wanted to know about periods and which boys on the basketball team were good kissers.
“Spencer?” Her voice floated to me on the afternoon breeze and every tense muscle in my body relaxed.
I looked to find Marisol in person standing on the step below me. Her dark brown curls were piled on top of her head in one of those messy buns. On her it was perfect and elegant. She flashed me a small smile and I realized I was staring at her, mouth open like a caught fish. A small part of me had doubted she would show up given I’d ambushed her the day before.
“I’m glad you found the place.”
“The town is not that big. It’s kind of hard to miss.”
I wanted to take her by the hand but decided against it. We weren’t there yet. “You want to get out of here?”
Her smile wavered. “Sure.”
We headed off
down Main Street in silence. I had a million questions I wanted to ask—so many things not covered in our two-year online friendship—but I couldn’t bring myself to interrupt the silence. It was a comfortable sort of quiet and she appeared content to maintain it. When we reached the southeast corner of the town square, which doubled as the park, she looked at me.
“I’m usually more talkative, I promise. I was enjoying the walk.”
“Me too.”
Her laugh was like bells tinkling in the air. “And I think maybe I’m a little nervous. I’ve never met someone I’ve only known online before.”
“Me either.”
“So, I’m guessing you’re nervous, too.”
I wanted to lie to her and tell her I wasn’t nervous, but I wanted this to work. There were already things I couldn’t tell her about my life. Lying about my feelings seemed stupid. “After yesterday, I didn’t think I would be. I mean, I was pretty freaked going in there, not knowing if you were the person I’ve been getting to know for the past two years. But, yeah, I’m a little nervous.”
“Well, that is something we have in common, then. Besides our love of comic book superheroes.”
We strolled into the park along a path I’d raced along on my bike for hours when I was younger. We passed a slightly dented streetlamp and I tried to hide the smile ghosting over my lips. I could still picture Declan tossing the mugger into the lamp with one hand. If Marisol noticed the wistful look, she didn’t comment. I glanced sideways, admiring her profile. “So, have you been settling in okay?”
“I don’t really know. Papi says I’ll like it here once I give it a try. But all my friends are back home. I have to finish classes online. I don’t even get to graduate with everyone.”
I focused on her thoughts, trying to find some way to comfort her. They were a jumble of emotions, but I picked up on one specific to me: I’m glad he’s not a total creep.
“It probably doesn’t mean much, but just because we took things offline doesn’t mean you can’t talk to me about anything.”
“I know that. And it is nice to know someone here.”
We resumed our walk through the park, falling back into companionable silence. I caught her staring at me a few times. The sun dappled through the trees, creating alternating patches of light and darkness along the ground. We turned down the path toward the wishing fountain at the center of the park. I’d tossed countless pennies into the fountain growing up, always wishing to feel complete. I think those wishes were starting to come true.
I felt Marisol tense beside me before her thoughts rang out in my head. “We’re being followed. He’s back”
“What’s wrong?” I watched her crane her neck behind her.
“Nothing. I had this feeling like ….”
“We’re being followed.”
She nodded. I glanced back and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Her body language still signaled unease, though. “Why don’t we go somewhere a little more public? My parents own the Italian place on Dunleavy Terrace.”
She nodded. “Sounds like a good idea.”
I took her hand and held tight, ushering her past the fountain, through the brush abutting River Road and back to the more populated areas of town. We stopped at the intersection two blocks away from my parents’ restaurant and Marisol’s hand tightened again around mine. She was glancing fervently behind her. I looked, trying to see what was freaking her out so much., but again, nothing jumped out at me.
“Who do you think is following us?” I prompted once the walk signal flipped to a blinking hand. We darted across the street and I led her around the back, stopping outside the kitchen exit.
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s something. Please, what’s going on?’
“I thought I saw Jason, but that’s impossible.”
“Because he’s still in jail.”
“Yes.”
I couldn’t resist pulling her into a hug. I didn’t have to be a mind reader to know she craved the reassurance of the embrace. I’d never met the jerk, but I didn’t need to in order to know he was bad news. She relaxed against my grip, burying her head in my shoulder. I caught the sweet scent of strawberry shampoo and inhaled deeply. We stayed entwined for a long moment, me giving her as much comfort as I could and her clinging tight to me.
A loud clang jarred us from our serenity as one of the bus boys kicked the back door open, toting recycling and trash bags.
“Sorry to interrupt the love birds,” he said with a wink.
Marisol blushed and pulled away from me. Without a word, I led her inside to the same booth Sylvia and I had occupied two days before. I thought it would be harder to put the experience out of my head, but the other day’s screw-up was as good as erased from history as we sat across from each other.
“So, your parents own this place? I’m impressed,” she said, keeping partial focus on the front windows behind me.
“It’s been in the family for three generations. My great-grandparents came over from Italy and started it up.”
“Do you think you’ll take it over some day?”
“My parents want me to. I feel like I wouldn’t be good at running a restaurant, though.” The adrenaline rush of helping people gave me more satisfaction than dealing with server schedules and picking a menu.
“Do you have siblings who could take it over?”
In all the time we’d talked, that detail hadn’t come up. Maybe our relationship was more superficial than I’d been willing to admit. “Nope, just me. I’ve got a cousin on my dad’s side of the family who talks about opening her own place one day. Maybe they could convince her to take this place over instead.”
“If you don’t want to take over the family business, what do you want to do?”
“I’ll let you know when I figure it out.”
She nodded, glancing out the window behind me twice more before turning her attention back to me. “So, tell me something about you not a lot of people know.”
“You know all the important stuff,” I replied, deflecting the question.
“Spencer, we’ve been talking for two years and I didn’t know you were an only child. There’s got to be more to you than just the Professor X-obsessed Marvel fanboy.”
My mouth went dry. It wasn’t nerves exactly, but outside of Declan, Tina, and her uncle, no one—my parents included—knew about my secret identity and abilities. For one thing, none of us were sure where these abilities came from. I mean, I’d always been able to read people, but the actual thoughts popping into my brain hadn’t happened until I hit puberty. As far as I knew, the same rang true with Declan and Tina. As Declan had reminded us both yesterday, Tina was no closer to uncovering our origin story.
I wanted to share this part of my life with Marisol but knowing the truth could put her in danger. Besides, I wasn’t ready for her to think I was crazy. Before I could think of something non-vigilante related to say, she sunk down in the seat and I could hear her breath pick up. I didn’t want to assume she was being paranoid, but something was definitely off about all of this. Trying not to appear too obvious, I took hold of her hand and looked around the edge of the booth.
At first, I saw nothing. Marisol’s fear spiked, sending her thoughts out in a jumbled spiral of panic and maybe it rubbed off on me because I spotted a skinny guy in a hoodie standing across the street. He pushed the hood down to reveal a bloody knife tattoo on his neck. The point of the blade pulsed against his jugular vein.
“That’s Jason, isn’t it?” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Yes.”
I nodded and climbed out of the seat. “I’ll deal with this.”
“No, Spencer, wait. Please. He’s not … the talking type.”
“This is my family’s place and he isn’t welcome to lurk out there like a stalker. Stay here.”
I let go of her hand and marched out the front door, intent on telling the prick off. I tried to focus on his thoughts, gauge his intentions, but al
l I got was static. Either he was brain dead—the fact he was standing there menacing my date said otherwise—or there was something wrong with this guy.
“Hey, man. I don’t know how you found her or how you got out of jail, but Marisol doesn’t want you here. You need to leave or I’m going to call the cops.”
He continued to stare me down, painful static crackling in my head. I took a step closer and his figure blurred. I blinked rapidly but the blur continued to overtake him. What the hell is happening? I didn’t have time to ponder the latest bizarre development because my phone buzzed in my pocket. I ignored it until the tone started to draw attention from passersby. I pulled it out to find a series of all caps texts from Tina telling me my skillset was needed elsewhere.
I didn’t want to go. It broke my heart to abandon Marisol, but I couldn’t shirk my town-saving duties. Besides, by the time I looked up from my phone, the guy had disappeared. I turned to go back in and let Marisol know I had to bail, but my head exploded much like it had the first time I’d heard thoughts. They were too loud, too raw. My eyes watered, and my stomach lurched. Sucking in air I took off at a run, praying the sound would stop making my eardrums feel like they would rupture sooner rather than later.
Five minutes later I skidded into a parked car, the entire world spinning around me. My stomach cramped once—the only warning sign of what was to come—and I bent double, puking into someone’s front lawn. I seriously needed to find this guy and sic Declan on his creepy ass. The voice in my head grew more insistent as dry heaves wracked my body. Please don’t hurt me. I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.
“Keep your pants on, Tina,” I muttered and wiped my mouth.
Sucking down gulps of air, I took off at a slow jog until I found Declan crouched behind a copse of trees. He looked at me and though only his eyes and mouth were visible, I could read the annoyance in his expression. “What happened to you?” he hissed.