Gifted Connections 01

by S M Olivier

  “Troy,” Will said. “When you talked her through your gift, is that how you control it?”

  He nodded, understanding lighting in his eyes. “Yes, it’s exactly how I extinguish a flare-up. Not everyone controls their gifts the same, but it seems like you,” he looked over at me, so I knew he had taken my earlier words to heart, “can control our gifts the way we control them.”

  “Shall we go inside and see if we can work on it? Blake, you’re going to be starting a new school tomorrow. Your emotions will be a rollercoaster. Maybe we should begin working on them today,” Will suggested.

  “I’ll watch Ella,” Jemmy said reluctantly.

  Will shook his head. “I don’t think it’s necessary anymore. She may be able to benefit from this lesson as well because little Ella is a precog. I have a feeling her father was as well, that’s how he was always able to stay a step ahead of us when we went in search of you.”

  “A precog? Precognition is the ability to see the future,” I stated slowly. My eyes widened. “But I thought most gifted don’t come into their gifts until they hit puberty?”

  I looked around and saw the disbelief on everyone else’s faces.

  Will opened his palms up. “It happens. Jace, Jax, and yourself are proof of it. I have no other explanation for her ability to beat me in chess. I taught her the rules of chess and within a half an hour she was beating me. I even purposely changed an obvious move for an alternate one to see if she could predict my next move and she did, every time.”

  Drake walked into the pool house and called to Ella to come to him. She came skipping out. She giggled at him as he reached into his pocket. Like she knew what he was up to. He took a coin from his pocket and put it behind his back.

  He pulled his hands from behind his back, fists down. “Which hand is the coin in Ella?”

  She giggled. “You are such a trickster. It’s in your pocket.”

  He held up his hands to show us. They were empty.

  “I can’t do it!” I cried out in frustration.

  “You can!” Troy said insistently.

  I don’t know why I was getting increasingly frustrated. I don’t think it helped that I felt like everyone was watching me. Expecting great things.

  Ella was told how important it was to keep our gifts a secret. She took it in her normal, mature stride. I didn’t expect any less. I had imparted to her the imperative nature of family secrets as soon as she could talk.

  “I think we need to have her focus more on individual gifts and not her gifts as a whole,” Drake finally said. “Blake, when you compel people what emotion are you feeling? When you felt my pain, what feeling did you have to make it go away? When you were on fire today, what were you feeling?”

  His melodic voice seemed to help me focus. I finally sat down and closed my eyes. Might as well get comfortable. I specifically thought about my compulsion gift. I thought of the anger I felt every time I compelled someone. I specifically thought of the day I bought Ella a keyboard. I wanted to teach her how to play, and I had saved up for it for months. She got to play it for less than a day. Heidi had taken it and sold it at a pawn shop for more drug money. When I had taken the receipt to the pawn shop for proof of purchase and let him know it was stolen property he had laughed at me and told me to call the cops— which he knew I wouldn’t do.

  Slowly, I opened my eyes and looked at Troy. I know I wasn’t being fair. He was pushing me the hardest because he believed in me.

  “Go upstairs and find a dress to wear. Model it for us,” I demanded.

  He glared at me, but he was powerless to ignore me. He left, his feet pounding up the stairs.

  “Can you do it without the words?” Will said, his eyes laced with humor. “Think of the person and think of the action. No words.”

  I closed my eyes once more. I was fourteen years old. On my way home from school, I found a little mastiff puppy that the neighbor boys thought would be funny to throw rocks at. I had gathered the puppy up in my arms and took it home, not caring that the boys had thrown rocks at me the whole time I ran off. I hid him successfully for a week. Heidi threw the puppy outside when she found him and one of her boyfriends ‘accidentally’ ran him over with a car. Unbidden tears sprung from my eyes.

  I looked over at the group. I had already put Noah through enough today and I didn’t want to embarrass or compel Drake. That left me with Jax or Jemmy and Jax had shown me today that sex wasn’t ugly. It could be beautiful.

  I narrowed my eyes on Jemmy. “No!” she yelled in shock. “I’m your best friend!”

  I looked at her and imagined her running on the treadmill. I specified a gentle jog, I didn’t want to kill her.

  She got up and walked to the treadmill. “You know what they say about paybacks!” Jemmy cried out in mock anger as she jogged on the treadmill.

  “Good! Good!” Will couldn’t hide the amusement in his eyes.

  Jax and Drake were openly laughing, and Ella giggled uncontrollably.

  “Maybe you should make her do that every day,” Drake suggested. It was the first time I ever saw Drake pick on his sister. She normally did all the picking.

  I giggled and focused hard on making her stop jogging.

  “I hate you,” she mocked glared at me.

  “I made you run for a whole minute, I can make it longer,” I looked at her devilishly.

  Troy came back downstairs and even Will couldn’t stop laughing. Troy was wearing one of Jemmy’s halter dresses, that was clearly too small.

  “Laugh it up now, Misty,” his cheeks were pink. He modeled back in forth in front of us, until I finally told him, mentally, he could get dressed back into his normal clothes.

  He left quickly as our laughter followed him up the stairs.

  Drake called us for lunch a couple of hours later. I was satisfied with my progress. I had been able to produce fire and extinguish it and I had been able to pick up on Drake’s feelings, without him feeling distressed or in pain. I just needed to work on pushing feeling on people. I found it hard to push anything but anger. I had anger in spades.

  I was famished and tired by the time I sat down. I still had to practice and perform my song. Then I needed to shower and get dressed for my date.

  I was starting to feel nervous. Tonight, was my real first date and I didn’t really know Troy. Even though I had only known them for a short while, I think our connections helped me feel a bond with them I wouldn’t be able to form as quickly with anyone else.

  Drake had made a delicious looking grilled chicken salad and I dug in with gusto.

  Noah looked over at me in amusement. “Using our gifts can make us hungry, tired, or both.”

  “Or,” Troy said with a wicked gleam in his eyes, “make our other appetites increase. Pretty much any of our baser instincts can be stimulated.”

  I looked at him in confusion until Jemmy started laughing. I looked over at Drake and he was blushing. Jax was suddenly preoccupied with his salad. Noah just winked.

  Understanding dawned on me and I didn’t even want to see Will’s expression. These people seemed entirely too comfortable with each other. Jemmy had a boyfriend spend the night the other night and I knew no normal brothers or father that took it all in stride like it was perfectly normal.

  “Are you feeling tired?” Jemmy asked, feigning concern.

  “She’s definitely hungry,” Noah commented.

  Troy placed his hand on mine and opened his mouth.

  “Kids,” Will warned. “Not in front of Ella,” he said, but I could see this talk didn’t bother him in the least.

  Ella was looking on with interest. “What else can you be?”

  Everyone laughed. I just wanted to bury myself in a hole, because they were right. I felt that low burn once more.

  I took the rest of the early afternoon to practice my piece. I told everyone to meet me back in the music room at five, so that gave me plenty of time to practice, shower, and get dressed for tonight.

  I was cont
ent that my piece had come together exactly as I wanted it to. Will showed me where his copier was so I could make copies of my sheet music for the board tomorrow. I was a bundle of nerves about performing the piece and nervous about my date when I went upstairs to take a long hot shower. I pulled out my hair straightener and plugged it in. I wanted it to be straight for tonight. It was the first time I was doing it myself.

  I rifled through my closet, not knowing what I should wear. Jemmy would know what to wear in this situation.

  As if I conjured her from my thoughts, Jemmy came into my room like the Tasmanian Devil.

  “I’m going to start calling you Taz,” I stated.

  She looked at me blankly.

  “Like the Tasmanian Devil, fast and out of control,” I said mockingly slow.

  She laughed. “Best nickname ever! But today I am your fairy godmother. Troy told me what the venue was, and I got you the perfect outfit.”

  I looked at her warily.

  “Why aren’t you dying to know where you’re going?!” she asked with exasperation.

  “I like surprises,” I shrugged.

  She pouted. “You’re no fun.”

  I giggled. “Let me see it.”

  She opened the bag and laid out a little black dress. The neck had to be unbuttoned to fasten around my neck, the thin black fabric would cling to my waist, and it looked like it would fall to the middle of my thighs. It almost looked elegantly modest until I turned it around. There was an open back that looked like it would dip all the way to my lower spine.

  “I can’t wear this!” I exclaimed.

  “Why not?” she asked, her face falling.

  “One, I can’t wear a bra. And two, it’s entirely too cold to wear it outside.” I stated.

  “I got you these,” she pulled out two bra-cup looking things. “You remove the adhesive and place them below your boobs and it helps lift the girls up. Where you’re going, you wouldn’t be cold for long, and that’s what coats are for.” She continued to pull out stiletto heels that had straps that would wrap up my calves in a crisscross pattern, a long black coat that would fall to my knees, and some silver bracelets. “Now let’s get your hair done, I know the perfect style.”

  In true Jemmy fashion, she steamed rolled me into giving in.

  As I looked at the floor length mirror, I didn’t recognize the girl staring back at me. I looked elegant. I looked mature. I looked sensual. I looked beautiful. The dress was a perfect combination of modest, yet suggestive.

  Jemmy had helped straightened my hair and then twisted the lengths individually, creating a loose bun-like effect in the back. She left some tresses out to fall around my face, so it didn’t look severe, but fun and flirty. With my hair up, it drew attention to my bare back and the upper swell of my hips.

  I applied my makeup a little heavier, making sure to put emphasis on my eyes (my best features), and I even applied a pink lip gloss, so my lips looked plumper and fuller.

  “Troy is going to be salivating and the boys are going to be so jelly!” Jemmy clapped her hands gleefully. “Maybe another connection can be made tonight, I wonder what gift you will get next?”

  I groaned. “Please, like I told the guys, it’s embarrassing enough that everyone knows I must be intimate with them for our connection, but I don’t need my every move with each of the guys shared with the group as well.”

  She frowned. “I could see where that can get old fast. Wanting to have a special connection with one of them, but everyone finding out. Trying to be spontaneous and live in the moment, but not being able to truly enjoy the moment. Now, time for a picture.”

  Leave it up to Jemmy to be insightful one moment and buzzing off the next.

  “Strike a pose.” Jemmy insisted. My first pose must have not been good enough for her, because she started arranging me in front of the mirror. She moved me somewhat sideways and asked me to look over my shoulder.

  I laughed at her, “You’re not a photographer, and why must I take a picture?”

  She grasped her chest over her heart, “Why must you wound me?!” Then, she frowned. “You had four pictures in your trunk. And only one of them had you in it.”

  I gasped. “You went snooping in my trunk!?”

  She gave me a look of disbelief. “Umm, I am your sister and BFF, of course I did! It’s sister/BFF girl code.”

  I snorted, slightly annoyed. “I’m sorry I must not have received my manual.”

  She waved her hand at me. “It’s in the mail, now, stop being all mad at me and crap and take a few pictures for me. Take your right hand and put it on your neck and look back at me. Lift your left leg a little. Good, good. I got it!”

  “Let me see!” I said reaching for her phone.

  She gave me her Cheshire Cat grin. “Not yet! But I promise you, you’re going to love it.”

  I went downstairs, and I was glad that I didn’t run into anyone yet. I was hoping to be seated and ready in the music room by the time they came in there. I stretched my fingers and did a quick warm up, making sure my fingers were nimble and strong.

  “Are you ready?” Jemmy asked.

  I looked up, my smile dying on my face as I saw Stacey’s sour expression. I sighed. After finding out this afternoon that some people had higher sex drives after using their gifts I could somewhat understand why he was keeping her around. He probably used his gift the most often. I didn’t like her, but he must see something in her. Plus, I wasn’t sure I was even close to ready to be one hundred percent intimate with any one of them. I mean, sure, they were all attractive and I really did like each and every one of them, but in the true sense of the word, I was still a virgin and my emotional baggage still made me fearful of the actual act.

  I nodded and everyone else filed into the room, finding seats on the couch, the arm chairs, and window sills. I was too nervous to look at them; I heard them more than I saw them. When the shuffling stopped, I saw Will place a recording device on the piano as he nodded and smiled at me reassuringly.

  I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and poured out my soul. In the back of my mind, I wished Noah had asked me if I minded if Stacey was here, because this piece felt more intimate, more personal. I would have wished just for my ‘family’ to have been here.

  I found my focus slipping and chastised myself. With renewed focus, I poured myself out until I felt empty, bare, and vulnerable.

  Silence hung in the room and I immediately hung my head, they hated it. I turned, and my eyes met Drake’s first, a sheen of tears were in his eyes. Jemmy was openly bawling as Will patted her back and hugged her close. Will had a look of approval and admiration in his eyes. Jax was beaming from ear to ear and he began to clap. Everyone followed suit, well almost everyone. Noah sat there transfixed, and Troy had a crooked grin on his face and his eyes were full of pride.

  Ella was bouncing up and down on Jax’s lap. “Again, again.”

  I shook my head, ducking my head, but smiling. “Just once, poppet.”

  “Besides,” Troy said looking down at his watch, “we have somewhere to be.”

  I stood up on shaky legs and followed him to the door. “See you guys later,” I waved awkwardly as I left the room.

  “You look so beautiful,” Troy murmured in my ear as he helped me put on my coat.

  Chapter 19

  Now I know why Troy was known as the ladies’ man in the group, I thought to myself as I soared thousands of feet above the earth in his helicopter. His. And he was flying it. I watched him as he controlled the machine with confidence and fluidity. He still wouldn’t tell me where we were headed, and I was okay with that. I really liked surprises. I had very few growing up.

  I gasped in wonder as the New York City skyline came into view. Now that I lived basically in the middle of nowhere, I never wanted to live anywhere else. The beauty of nature surrounding me there was soothing to the soul. It centered me. However, I was drawn in by the bright lights and busyness of New York City. I knew it was going to be a p
lace I would never forget.

  When we landed, he came around to help me out of the helicopter. He threw his arm around me and we walked towards a waiting car.

  “You really know how to impress a girl,” I said shyly as he opened my car door.

  He chuckled softly. “I try.”

  I gave him a knowing look. “So, this is how you land the ladies.”

  “Leave the past in the past,” he gently chided me as he dropped a kiss on my forehead. “Let’s live in the present and plan for our future.”

  I stared at him for a moment. Inside I felt all warm and fuzzy, but I couldn’t let him think I could be so easily won over. Yesterday he had shown me a vulnerable side and shared a story with me I’m sure very few people knew, even his brothers. I appreciated it beyond words. I had laid myself open so many times since these guys came into my life. Piece by piece the walls surrounding my heart were being knocked down. I didn’t even flinch when people touched me anymore.

  Out loud I decided to tease him. I wasn’t going to be such an easy conquest for him. Knowing him, he would get bored quickly if I were. “Did you find that in a hallmark card?”

  He looked at me with chagrin. “You’re not going to make this easy on me, are you?”

  I grinned and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. “Nope,” I replied as I leaned back in the seat, watching as the driver navigated the busy streets. I would be lying if I said it wasn’t slightly terrifying. Yellow cabs dashed in and out of traffic, narrowly missing us by inches several times.

  “What do you think? Ever been here before?” Troy asked as he leaned back in the seat and put an arm around me, drawing me closer.

  “No, never been here before. Before my father passed away, we moved a lot, we lived in a few cities, but I was never too impressed. Too much people. Everyone always seemed to be in a rush, but they had nowhere to go. This is prettier than some of the cities I visited though. It’s a wonderful place to visit, never to live.” I said honestly.

  He groaned. “Don’t tell me you’ve been bitten by that country bug too. I was born in the city. The city is in my blood, one day I want to live here again.”