by Olivia Myers
“When you’re ready,” I say. “I hope that you’ll still be part of his life.”
Then he’s gone. Just like that. And I’m confused as hell. He wanted a chance so bad and he seemed like a decent guy. I guess he is, I mean, I am pretty abnormal. Having psychic powers is a lot for me to take in sometimes, so I can only imagine how he must feel.
“Looks like it’s you and me for a while, buddy.” I stroke my belly again and feel a light fluttering inside. I smile and laugh, enjoying it.
***
Sara’s being weird. She got some mysterious text and is making excuses about leaving the apartment. Good thing I’m psychic.
“Are you cheating on Rick?” I ask, stepping in her way before she can leave.
Her mouth drops open. “How did you – ugh. Never mind. It’s just a date. I mean Rick’s great, but I’m still in college. I need to, you know, sow my wild oatmeal or whatever.”
“Oats. And I thought you guys were monogamous.”
So did I until I saw his sexts on his phone with Emily Bauer. “Are you trying to make me feel guilty? ’Cause it’s working.”
“Go. Have a good time. Just don’t do anything you might regret later.”
She glances down at my stomach and I read her loud and clear. I don’t want to end up preggers. She peeks in her purse to make sure she has condoms before swirling out the door in way too much makeup.
So I’m alone when the bell rings around seven. I open the door to find Evan leaning against the doorframe and holding Chinese takeout. It smells amazing.
“I might have cheated a little. The kid told me what your favorite was. He likes sweet and sour too. Can I come in?”
I glance down at my sweats and tug at my ponytail. I’d been hoping he’d text like a normal person instead of just showing up, but it does smell divine and my stomach rumbles in agreement.
“Come on in. Food buys you a free pass to the kitchen.” I follow along, tugging down my top in the hopes it will look decent.
Evan unpacks the brown bag on the small table, setting paper napkins with chopsticks and packets of soy sauce. “So, how was coffee this morning?”
“You don’t miss a beat, do you?” I laugh, taking a seat and opening one of the cartons he’s setting out.
“I’m sorry he left,” he says suddenly, crouching next to me and staring with those intense eyes of his.
“Traitor,” I mumble at my stomach. “Yeah, well, at least he believes I’m psychic and so is the baby.”
“You know what the best – and only – solution is, right?” Evan asks, sliding a hand over mine on my lap.
“What’s that?”
“You need to date another psychic. Then we’re on a level playing field.”
“We?” I repeat.
“You have to admit we have some chemistry going on.” Evan stands and leans in to settle his lips on mine. His hand gently pries the chopsticks from my hand and travels back up to caress my face while the other guides me to standing and gathers me in close at the waist.
He is a good kisser.
Evan scoops me up in his arms like Rhett Butler and carries me to the bedroom I share with Sara, kicking the door open so that he doesn’t have to stop kissing me. “Which bed?” he asks, panting.
I point to mine. He lays me down and falls to his knees next to me as we kiss. His hand slips beneath my frumpy top and over my breast.
“Come on up here,” I say, turning my head briefly so I can speak and he can trace the curve of my neck with his lips.
He climbs in the bed with me and helps pull off my shirt. I kick off my own pants as he pulls off his own shirt and jeans. My belly rubs against the firm skin of his abdomen as we press together, making out. He knows how to touch me and I love his touch; the way his thumb slides back and forth over my nipple, and the way his fingers tease my sex through my panties, making me wet.
I return the favor by exploring in his boxers, and my belly warms in anticipation when I feel the size of his swelling. He pushes off the rest of his clothes, mouth still attached to mine. Then he tugs off my panties as well.
He positions himself over me, hands pressed against the mattress on either side of my head, arms straining to keep him above me, without crushing my stomach.
I open my legs and pull back my knees so he can have easy access. Come on, I think, you won’t hurt me or the baby.
Evan can’t read my mind, but I guess his libido wins out with an extra bit of prompting from my hands. I moan as he pushes inside of me, sending pulse after pulse of pleasure through me.
I press my knees against his sides, urging him on. He doesn’t disappoint, filling me with ecstasy like I’ve never experienced before. I’m made of jelly by the time he’s done with me, and just when I think it’s all over he pushes inside again, as far as he can, and my muscles spasm with electric pleasure.
“Ooooh.” I clutch his arms, not wanting it to end. He waits for me and then releases me, falling onto the bed, his head next to mine on the pillow. Both of us breathe hard.
“Wow,” he says after a moment.
“If the food’s cold, you’re taking me to the restaurant,” I say, but my body feels like butter. “I’m not a cheap date.”
His hand strokes my face and I roll into him so I can gaze into his dreamy eyes. “You aren’t cheap anything, Cassie. You’re amazing and I plan to be around to help protect and guide you no matter what you decide with Phil. I just want you to know that.”
“After that, you can follow me anywhere,” I say and kiss his nose. “Let’s eat, though. Seriously.”
We dine in the nude and I’m not self-conscious like I thought I might be. Evan makes me feel at ease even with my bulging stomach and breasts. Well, he admits he likes the breasts.
He’s easy to talk to, and knows what it’s like to be inundated with people’s thoughts.
“Actually, you can learn to filter to a degree. But it takes a ton of concentration. I’ll start teaching you the technique if you want,” he says, slurping up some chow mein noodles.
I giggle and wipe at the grease on his chin with my napkin, which leads to more kissing, which leads to us doing it on the kitchen counter.
Unfortunately, that’s when we hear the front door.
“Hide!” I whisper, arms and legs wrapped around Evan.
He carries me through the apartment to the bedroom and then into my closet when we hear footsteps outside my door.
I’m breathing heavy, trying not to make an audible sound and pressed against Evan’s hard, naked body while my hanging clothes tickle my back. The outer door opens and Evan clutches me tighter to let me know he’s got me. As if I could forget him there.
I can’t see through the door, but I can reach out with my mind. There are two voices—male and female.
The male voice thinks, What am I doing? I just found out I’m going to be a father and I’m screwing someone?
Then the female voice thinks, Sometimes I think Cassie’s freaking psychic. She better not find out I’m screwing her guy. Nah. She doesn’t own him. Oh God that’s good. How could she give this up? Oh my Lord.
Rick is my friend, how can I do this to him? Oh my God no one’s ever done that. Wow. But…
“What about Rick?” Tristan’s voice pants out loud.
“Who?” Sara asks.
That bitch! My hold on Evan tightens as anger flows through me. She was acting weird because it was Tristan, not because she didn’t want me to know she was cheating! And Tristan? Mr. Moral High Road? He’s fucking my best friend!
“Settle down there, Godzilla girl,” Evan whispers over my ear. “She’s right, you’re the one who gave him up. And by the way, you have a much hotter potential boyfriend naked in a closet with you.”
I snort and press my face into the crook of his neck to muffle the sound. But from the sounds on the other side of the door, I don’t need to worry about distractions.
“We might be here a while,” Evan whispers.
I roll my eyes.
> Evan swings me to the ground and kneels beside me, sliding his hands over my body. He leans down by my ear and whispers, “Let’s play a game. Let’s see who makes noise first.” I press my eyes closed as his fingers nudge between my legs, stroking and probing.
“No fair!” I hiss but the next moment throw my head back, hoping he’ll never stop.
“What was that?” he whispers back through all the loud moans and groans in the other room. Who knew Sara would be so loud?
I reach around between his legs and begin stroking as well. The next thing I know, he’s straddling my head and burying his face between my own legs. Oh. I take him in my mouth, which is an effective gag. Good thing because I know there’s no way I could hold back calling out with what he’s doing to me now.
I slide my mouth over him, teasing ever so lightly with my teeth on occasion, but it’s hard to concentrate with his teeth and tongue working overtime on my clit. My hips strain in the air, trying to apply more pressure, but he pulls back a little, teasing me. I groan around his cock, unable to stand it. He gives in and finishes me off, but I know I’m in for his gloating later.
Still, I finish pleasing him, and by the time we’re done, Tristan and Sara are both silent. I reach out with my mind and find nothing.
I furrow my brow in question and Evan shrugs.
With little choice other than waiting the night in a closet, I slowly crack open the door. They’re asleep on Sara’s bed across from mine. Her head lays on Tristan’s chest, her leg wrapped over his. Both are naked and smiling in silent satisfaction.
Evan grabs my hand and leads me across the room, snatching our clothes on the way. We make it to the kitchen and get dressed in silence. I don’t know what he’s thinking, but I’m pissed. It’s not like it’s fair of me, or even logical, but for some reason I am.
“Hey,” Evan says, tossing me a fortune cookie. “I’ve never had a date quite like this. Best ever.”
I shake my head and try not to giggle while I open my fortune. Beware of false friends. “Yeah. A little late on that one.”
“I, on the other hand, am thrilled.” Evan pulls me into his arms. “No more competition.”
I shake my head at him again but melt into his kiss.
We’re still kissing when my phone buzzes. I pull it out and once again he continues kissing other parts of me while I check the text.
“Hmm. Phil wants to talk. He feels like he didn’t get to tell me enough about who I am, and should have waited on the other stuff.”
“Okay. I’ll drive you. You probably want to get out of here anyhow.”
He didn’t have to be a psychic to pick up on that.
***
My jealous rage has subsided, and now I’m left feeling hollow and sad, wondering if I screwed up my baby’s future with his father. But I didn’t make Tristan run off. That was his decision. And I certainly didn’t force him to hook up with my roommate.
Evan lets me stew in my thoughts, which I really appreciate. And when he parks in the lot behind the bookstore, he finally turns to me. “Remember I’m on Phil’s side technically. Don’t let on. Please. He’s an expert at reading people even if he can’t do it officially.”
I smile. “Don’t worry. I barely remember any of it myself.”
We hurry into the store, for which Evan apparently has a key. I have to admit it’s kind of spooky at night with only the low glow of a neon blue sign inside the glass case beneath the register. Upstairs, another light filters from between the curtains, letting us know where Phil waits. Evan takes my elbow and guides me up the winding steps.
The lights is dim in the Occult section, but we keep going until we reach Phil’s secret room. Sure enough he’s waiting inside, shuffling some tarot cards on the table.
He doesn’t glance up, but smiles warmly when we enter. “That was fast. I hope I didn’t interrupt your evening.”
He begins laying out the cards in a complex pattern and frowning at them.
“No trouble. Evan was with me anyway, so I hope you don’t mind me bringing him.”
“Not at all. Actually it makes things much easier. I need to talk to both of you. But you first, darlin’.”
Evan swishes through the curtains without a goodbye, leaving me with Phil. I clear my throat and take a seat at the small table.
“That didn’t take long. But you two were practically made for each other.”
“Oh. Evan and me? No. I mean yeah, but.” I sigh.
“Don’t worry. I’m glad. It’ll make things easier in the long run. You’re invested. Now. What kinds of questions have been floating around that pretty little head of yours?”
Is it that I know Evan’s secretly working against him, or is he really acting creepier? So hard to tell what’s real and what’s my imagination.
“I don’t know. You said you could teach me how to do that thing you did with the would-be rapist. Where you put new thoughts in his head? That seems pretty handy.”
“Would you like to start with that?” He grins, setting the last of the cards down.
I can’t help but shudder at seeing an image of a skeleton riding a horse. Death is written in large letters across the bottom.
He glances down at it. “It means change is coming. Now give me your hand.”
I set my palm over his. His skin feels unexpectedly rough. “But this wouldn’t work on me, right?” I ask, with a bit of flighty laughter. “I mean, you’re not going to plant something in my mind, right?”
Phil laughs softly with me. “Why would I do that?”
“Wait.” All laughter is gone now. “You can? But I’m psychic too.”
And he’s old. Aren’t his powers fading at all? I wonder.
“I’m special,” he says. “I am stronger than most, probably because I’ve been focusing on learning and mastering my abilities for years now. So when it comes to newbies like you, yes I can read and manipulate you. I’m sorry to say that, but you’ll learn how to block me eventually.”
I fight the urge to remove my hand. I don’t want him to think I don’t trust him though.
“So the first thing you do,” Phil says, closing his fingers around my hand, firm, but not harshly. “Is use the flow of psychic energy carried in the person’s blood to connect your own psychic stream.”
“Huh?” I ask. “I think you better back up.”
He smiles again. “Close your eyes. Picture it. See the blood flowing through you. Then me. See the energy flowing with it.” I listen to his deep melodic voice and soon I see it, yellow wispy trails flowing through my arm and chest and my head. Phil’s look white – almost silver.
“I see it!” I say.
“Good. Now connect them.”
I focus on my yellow stream and it flows toward his silvery one. When they touch I gasp and almost pull away. But Phil holds on to me. “Don’t worry. It won’t feel that way when you do it to a normal. It’s just me. But if I do it to you…”
His silvery mist flows out quickly to encompass my wrist, then flows up my arm and over my head. I gasp, opening my eyes. Everything is foggy like there’s a film over my head. I try to tug my hand loose, but it’s cemented in his grasp and doesn’t budge.
“What’s happening?” I ask.
“You’re going to stop talking now,” Phil says easily, his eyes sympathetic.
I won’t talk. I decide. Wait. Did I decide that? Oh God. Help. Evan, help!
“You like Evan. He’s good in bed. Nice.”
I flush as Phil continues speaking low.
“Didn’t you hear me say it, Cassie? You have to learn to pay better attention if you’re going to work for me. I said I can hear newbies like you. And you said, Evan is secretly working against me. You want to tell me everything.”
I do want to tell Phil. It will be a relief. “He’s with another group that calls itself The Rebels. They’re for giving people autonomy and letting them make decisions. Not intervening until it’s time to give consequences for actual behaviors.”
<
br /> My eyes grow wide but I can’t get rid of that veil of fuzz that’s enveloped me. Why did I tell him? I promised I wouldn’t!
“You want to work with me. You want to do whatever I tell you is right,” Phil says, stroking the length of the inside of my arm as he speaks. A strange and uncomfortable tingle grows there and travels all over my body.
I want to work for Phil. He’ll teach me the right way to be a psychic.
Phil says some more, but I just love the sound and vibration of his voice. It doesn’t matter what it is. It’s right. I should listen.
Evan is evil in disguise. I must kill him when he sleeps so he can’t hurt Phil. I won’t let on or remember that I’m going to do it either, until it’s time. Then I will devote all my time to learning with Phil and the Eye. He trusts me. I am special to him. I’ve been working with him since he found me at age six. My parents tried to kill me because of my powers. Phil saved me.
I stand up, dizzy, and Phil rises to hug me goodbye.
When I leave, Evan stands there and I shiver, hugging myself. He gives me a funny look and goes in to talk to Phil for just a few minutes.
Evan drives me home, but I ask him if he’ll take me to his place so I can avoid Sara and Tristan. He smiles and takes my hand as he drives the other direction.
His apartment is just as small as mine, and it’s filled with trash and dirty dishes.
“Don’t you clean?” I ask.
“Too busy,” he says, brushing everything off the couch and starting up the gas fire. It’s nice and cozy.
“Let me go get something,” Evan says after we make out for a few minutes on the couch. He comes back holding some silken rope. My eyes widen.
“Um, I’m not really into the whole bondage thing,” I say.
“Trust me?” he asks and comes to sit next to me on the couch.
I think about this for a moment. Something nags at me, but I push it aside. “I do. You’re the only one who gets what it’s like being me.” I hold out my wrists.
Evan takes his time, tying my hands and then my ankles together. He runs his hands along my body and sucks on my fingers and then toes as he tests the knots. I have to admit it’s kind of hot.
“You better let me do this to you next,” I say, lying back. He leans over me and holds the ropes binding my wrists.