by SM Olivier
“Because of your gift?” I blurted before thinking.
He looked at me with some shock before slowly nodding. “How did you know?” he whispered.
I shrugged, silently berating myself. I had to tread carefully. I had to be careful what I said and did now. “I just took a guess.”
His eyes narrowed slightly. “Are you a reader? Can you tell who’s gifted and who isn’t?”
I shook my head, not knowing what exactly I should say. “I’m not,” I answered truthfully.
“Yet,” he said seriously, all traces of flirting gone, “You guessed I was gifted, even though I just started here and haven’t enrolled in any of the ‘performing art’ classes.”
I shrugged once more.
He stopped suddenly and grabbed my arm firmly. “There’s something…about you. When I first saw you, I thought you were…normal. Now I can see you may be gifted, but it’s…hazy.”
I looked up at him. “Are you a reader,” I said quietly, urgently.
He nodded and looked around. “I’m not sure, and I don’t want anyone to know. So, what’s your story, the real one?”
I gulped. “I can’t say…” At the look of suspicion, I quickly added, “Not now, anyways. Please,” I said as he turned to walk away from me. I grabbed his arm. “I’ve never been the trusting type, and lately I don’t know who I can trust anymore.”
“Blake,” I heard my name being called from behind me. I stiffened, my eyes widening. I didn’t know if Gavin could be trusted. Ella never said anything about him. Was he on the wrong side? I already knew this school had wolves among us.
Collin came up behind me and draped a possessive arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his side. “Who’s this?”
I looked at Gavin warily, hoping, praying. “Umm, my new friend Gavin. He was in my first class, and he was showing me to our next one.”
Collin looked at him with narrowed eyes. “Oh yeah, I’m Collin. Blake’s boyfriend.”
Gavin looked at me with suspicion and distrust. “Hey man.” Gavin stuck out a hand and shook Collin’s hand.
“Hey,” Collin replied with no warmth. “Well, I’m headed that way myself. Maybe I’ll go with you.”
I knew I couldn’t refuse, so I quietly followed along.
Gavin avoided me in the next class. He was sitting next to the doors by two other people, so there had been no room for me at his table. I knew I had to make things right. After arguing with myself for most of my class, I knew he could be trusted. I had to enlist his help. He was the first friendly face I had seen, and I desperately needed his help.
The moment the professor dismissed us, I got up and followed him.
“Gavin,” I called. I knew he heard me, but he continued walking.
I ran to catch up with him. I was winded by the time I reached him, and I was pissed. Not at him, but by the fact that I was so out of shape…again. That run would have been nothing before. All of those weeks working on my calves, back, abs, getting in shape…now gone.
“Please,” I said as I yanked his arm. “If I tell you everything, you’ll think I’m nuts.”
He stopped and looked down at me, somewhat irritated. “Too late,” he said coldly before he started to turn once more.
I felt momentarily stung. “Stop, please. I can help you.”
“Doubt it,” he called over his shoulder.
“Krista and Alex aren’t safe,” I called to his retreating back.
He stopped abruptly and slowly stalked back towards me. “What did you say?” he hissed. “Who the hell are you, and how do you know Krista and Alex?”
I swallowed past the lump in my throat and looked around, hoping Collin was nowhere nearby. I already screwed up, I didn’t need to screw up any more. “What’s your next class?”
“My next class doesn’t start for another hour,” he bit out.
“Good,” I nodded. “We need to get out of here. Do you know some place we can talk privately?”
“Why should I go anywhere with you?”
“Because Krista and Alex are in danger,” I said softly.
Chapter 2
“Talk,” Gavin finally said as we sat down at the lake on campus.
It was chilly out, but I barely noticed. I chewed on my nails nervously. “How much do you know about the gifted community?” I asked tentatively.
He looked at me with an annoyed expression. “Not much. My father and mother made it a point to keep me away from it. They’re kinda pissed I chose to come here. They aren’t gifted and wouldn’t understand why I felt the need to go here. They took me to several doctors, since I was twelve. They don’t understand, I’m not delusional. The shadows I see around the gifted aren’t in my head, they exist.”
“So, why did you come?” I asked as played with a blade of grass.
“I have a feeling you already know a lot more about me, than I know about you,” he said shortly. “I saw something one night, walking home from the shelter, that made me question my...my gift? I followed some of them back here and saw all these…shadows. I knew that this was where I belonged, but you already knew that, didn’t you?”
I shrugged. “I know that you work at a shelter, approximately 45 minutes away from here. I know that you have a heart for the children you encounter.”
“How?” he was still mad and annoyed.
“What if I told you we have already met…about 8 weeks into the future?” I muttered.
He gaped at me for a moment. “You’re a time shifter?” he asked incredulously.
I shook my head, my eyes wanting to fill with tears. “I wish.”
“But we met?” he asked suddenly softer. The anger he held towards me seemed to have dissipated.
“Yes,” I said looking away, willing my tears away. “I know you have a trident mark on your shoulder. I know you currently have six children you’ve been…watching over.”
“Five,” he said somewhat dazed.
I thought for a moment. Alex shouldn’t have his gift yet, so maybe he couldn’t read him.
“Alex isn’t one of them,” he said as if reading my thought. “He’s too young to be showing any signs of a gift.”
“Yet,” I said, then I turned and looked at him, grabbing his arms. I tugged on one of my long dark curls and looked into his eyes. “Do my features look familiar?” I asked softly.
He looked at me intensely before understanding dawned, and his eyes widened. “You’re related,” he said incredulously before a small frown marred his handsome features. “But he’s an only child, lives with his dad. Comes in…with bruises sometimes.”
“We share the same mother,” I sighed. “I didn’t even know about him, until-”
I was cut short as I saw Collin working his way towards us, with a purpose in his step. How the heck did he find me?
“Hey, beautiful,” Collin stated looking at us suspiciously. “You didn’t answer your phone when I texted and called.”
I looked down guiltily, pulling out my phone. “Sorry,” I murmured. “I had it on vibrate during class and I didn’t turn it back up. How’d you know to find me here?” I tried to say with a smile.
He sat down next to me and looked at Gavin suspiciously once more, before he said hesitantly, “I took a guess.” With a shrug, he turned to Gavin. “Hey man, you aren’t trying to take my girl, are you?” He offered a smile that never reached his eyes.
I looked at Gavin with pleading eyes.
Gavin chuckled. “Can’t blame a man for trying, but no, man,” he said smoothly. He was a great actor. “Blake let me know quite clearly she is taken. We had a break between classes, so I asked her if she could help me with our English Lit class.” I hadn’t even noticed that he had the book we were reading for English Lit class until he held it up. “She said she already read it and seemed to have a good grasp on it. She’s a smart one.”
I almost sighed with relief. I had indeed already read it twice now; once before I left my previous school, and then again when I started her
e the first time.
Collin leaned back, seemingly satisfied as he started to caress my back.
I tried not to flinch, and I saw that Gavin noticed and wanted to step in. I tried to convey with my eyes not to. He seemed to get the picture, although he was tense.
“She is a smart one,” Collin stated. “Have you eaten anything yet, babe?” he asked with feign concern. “I know you didn’t eat breakfast, and it is lunch time. Maybe we should go to the quad and all finish discussing this book. I hate English, but maybe I can be of some help.”
“Sounds good,” I tried to sound enthusiastic.
“Do you like him?” Collin asked the moment we got in the car.
“What?” I asked with genuine surprise. “No,” I said hastily. “I mean he’s a nice guy and all, but you’re my boyfriend…right?” I asked guilelessly as I made myself take his hand.
He seemed to relax somewhat. “I know starting a new school can be…scary and exciting. All these new guys around you now. Maybe you have second thoughts on our arrangement.”
I looked out the window, seeing an opportunity to put some distance between us. “You know, honey,” I tried to mollify his insecurities, “It is scary, but it’s not just this new school. I don’t know what happened last night. If the bump on my head might have affected my memories, but I vaguely remember us. I mean, I remember our mutual attraction in high school, but not our recent relationship. Maybe you should take me to the hospital,” I suggested.
“No need for that,” he said quickly, too quickly. “Let’s just hope your memory returns, and I can show you why we are so good together again.”
I didn’t know what to say without screaming out that he was a liar. Maybe I could use this time to figure out how I could help Will. After all, I already knew Mr. Young was a wolf among us, maybe Collin would introduce me to more of them. I wanted to be back with my guys, but the more we knew about our enemies, the better. How did the old saying go? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
I reached out for his hand, digging deep for my acting abilities once more. “If you say so, honey,” I murmured reticently. I couldn’t act too suspiciously, I was already in too deep.
We took the short drive back to the school’s quad. I didn’t wait for Collin to open the car door from me. I was eager to get away from him and go to the cafeteria. Gavin was already waiting in line at a popular sub shop.
“They have amazing subs here,” Collin informed me.
“Okay,” I agreed. A sub didn’t sound too bad.
*********
“So, you mean to tell me that Mr. Bennet was willing to essentially sell one of his daughters so she could support her sisters when he died? What about love?” Gavin asked the moment we sat down in the quad.
I was so glad he seemed to understand the importance of dropping our previous conversation.
I set my tray down and opened the dressing to my salad. I shrugged. “It was a different time back them. Women didn’t have as much opportunities as they do now.”
“Don’t tell me you condone that?” Gavin rolled his eyes.
I snorted. “I never said I condoned it, but times were different.”
“What has you stumped?” Collin said as he chewed on a fry. “That’s why you wanted Blake’s help, right?” He tried to sound nonchalant, but I knew he still didn’t trust Gavin.
Gavin didn’t skip a beat before he said. “No man, not stumped necessarily, but the professor wants us to write an essay condoning that archaic belief, and Blake was acting like my sounding board.”
I was about to berate Collin for his show of jealousy. Even if he was a real boyfriend, I wouldn’t condone jealous behavior.
My guys had showed some signs of jealousy when my band mates would say or do inappropriate things, but they would never question a new guy that came into my life as a friend.
Just then, I could see someone petite come sidling up to Collin, placing an arm around his shoulders as they whispered something in his ear.
I looked over and nearly choked on the piece of chicken I was eating as I saw that it was Rose. Rose was a pretty little thing, shorter and more petite than even I was (which was generally a difficult feat), with pale blond hair in a pixie cut style, and large blue eyes. She had a nose ring, and I knew I didn’t have to see her full-on to know she probably had some tight crop top on to show off her belly button ring. Before I knew what she really was like, I thought she was bubbly, outgoing, and cute. Now that I knew she had—no was—hurting Drake, I despised her with a passion.
I looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Drake. If I remembered correctly they had the same exact class schedule, which had been hard on Drake when they had first broken up. I frowned when I didn’t see him.
Gavin was looking at us quizzically, and I sent him an imperceptible shake of my head, hoping he understood that I would tell him everything later.
“Who’s your friend?” I asked with feigned wide-eyed innocence.
Collin leapt back as if he had been burned. “Rose, this is…my girlfriend Blake. Blake, this is a good friend of mine, Rose.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said holding out my hand and reaching across Collin’s body.
“Mmm hmm,” Rose replied noncommittedly and frowned at Collin before shaking my hand. “Collin,” she said quietly. “I wasn’t aware that you had a…girlfriend.”
Collin had the audacity to blush and looked a little wild eyed between us. “Well, um,’ he put a hand on the back of his neck. “I told you that things would have to change soon. How’s Drake?” he added quickly.
She looked more hurt by Collin then she ever did about deceiving Drake and cheating on him constantly. She stood up quickly. “Good. Well, I’ll see you later.”
Even if this whole thing wasn’t a sham, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to see that they had something going on and had been, for some time.
“Rose,” he called out before getting up. “Hey, babe,” he turned to me as if just remembered I was sitting there. “Rose and I go way back. Mind if I see if she’s okay? She’s having issues right now with Drake, her boyfriend.”
I gave him an insincere smile, “Go for it,” I urged him. Relieved. “I understand how important friendships are.” I reassured him.
“Thanks, you’re the best,” he said as he gave me a brief hug, before chasing after her.
Gavin cleared his throat and looked between me and Collin’s retreating figure. “Friends, huh?” he said intuitively before taking another bite of his sandwich.
I giggled. “I know, right? It’s so obvious they’re more than friends.” I took another bite of my salad. “Poor Drake.” I frowned. He hadn’t been as heartbroken as I thought he would have been the first time he found out about Rose’s deception, but she was the first girl he had ever been with, they had been together for years, and he had loved her in his own way.
Gavin leaned in close to me and said in hushed tones. “Is he even your boyfriend? Are you okay with him running off to comfort another girl?”
I shook my head and responded back to him quietly. “No. I wish we had more time to talk, but I have a feeling he’ll be back soon, but he isn’t my boyfriend.”
He looked at me with concern. “Is this some kind of human trafficking thing?”
“No,” I reassured him. “Well, not technically. I met him years ago, we use to go to school together. I saw him briefly…well in the future, but the past…” I gripped my head. This was so confusing, even to myself. I couldn’t imagine what he was thinking, he must think I’m crazy. “Let’s just say someone with a powerful gift is screwing up my real life,” I stated.
He was looking skeptical once more. I didn’t blame him. I wouldn’t believe me either. He was just as new to this community as I was. Sure, he had met other gifted people, but his parents weren’t gifted. They wouldn’t have educated him.
He stood up suddenly, rubbing his eyes wearily. “This is so, messed up on so many levels. I…got to go.”
“You don’t believe me do you,” I stood up grabbing his arm.
“Would you?” he whispered ardently. “We met in the future? You know people I know. You’re the spitting image of a little boy I’ve watched for years. You’re with a man claiming to be your boyfriend, and you’re not running?”
“There’s so much more I wish I could explain to you. We have met, I swear it.” I wracked my brain, trying to figure out a way for him to believe me. I had to convince him. I knew he could help me. It suddenly hit me. “Today, the Columbus Day parade is going on in New York City. In approximately,” I looked down at my cell phone for the time. “One hour, one of the floats will come crashing down.” I closed my eyes trying to remember the specifics. It had been on every news outlet known to man. I remember the bar that I use to work at had it on almost every channel. “Injuring two and killing one.”
His eyes narrowed on me once more, “If you know that, why aren’t you calling the police?”
I sighed, closing my eyes. “You’re gifted. I’m sure you’ve seen some crazy things, and you doubt me. How do you think they will react?”
He nodded and turned away from me once more. “This is a lot to believe and take on right now.”
I let him walk away this time.
When we got home from school that afternoon, I promptly went into my room. I was keyed up and anxious. The news had already hit our school. We already found out about the freak accident in the city. Gavin hadn’t tried to find me. I didn’t have any classes with him the rest of the day.
Collin had noticed my withdrawn appearance and attitude the whole way home, and tried to pry into my life further. I knew I should reassure him, because I didn’t want him to grow suspicious. On the other hand, I was exhausted from pretending. I didn’t know how much longer I could keep this up.
In the past, I had started to find solace in running. It allowed me to process my thoughts and feelings, while physically helping to tire me and strengthen me.