by SM Olivier
“The more people I found out about, the more names I can hand over to Will…eventually. I need to gather compelling evidence.”
Gavin looked at me dubiously. “Is it safe for a seventeen-year-old girl to take on these…men? I mean, they already messed up your life. They can do it again, or worse, end it.”
I gulped. “Right now, they have no clue that the same gift they used on the guys, didn’t work on me. I still remember them. In theory, when time went back, I should have naturally forgotten everything, but I didn’t. I think, for some reason, I’m too valuable alive. My gut tells me they want to lure me to the ‘dark side.’ I need to figure out a way to inadvertently spy on them. They already put a tracker on my phone, who knows what else they can or will do to keep me separated from the guys. I feel like together we can beat this, the guys and me. If I were to finish making my connections, we will be stronger together.”
He looked uncomfortable for a moment as he shifted his knees back and forth into his chest.
“Spit it out,” I said finally.
“So, you’ve been intimate with more than one guy…in what period of time?” he stammered finally.
I blushed, and I knew I had to be beet red. “It’s not what you think, honestly. It’s not like I hopped from one bed to another, each night. And honestly,” I whispered, embarrassed. “I have only had sex with one of them. He was my first…ever.”
He rubbed the back of his head and then started chuckling suddenly. “You’re living most men’s dreams, except reversed. I know plenty of men that would love to have a harem of girls waiting for them to grace them with his presence.”
I mocked growled at him before I launched myself at him, hitting him with my fist, but not with full force. “I told you it’s not like that.” I said through gritted teeth, jokingly.
“Everything okay here?” a familiar voice asked with some concern.
I froze and slowly turned. I would know his soft, melodious tone anywhere. Drake. My sweet, sensitive, shy guy, who had a lying, cheating girlfriend that Ella predicted he would marry…after she told him she was pregnant, but the baby wasn’t his. I closed my eyes and groaned, knowing who the baby’s father was.
Chapter 5
“Is he one of them?” Gavin asked quietly as we made our way to our next class.
We were early, but I couldn’t sit there any longer. I had to get up and move. I was so distraught.
I nodded sadly. “Yes, did you see how he acted like he didn’t know me?” Then I laughed at myself harshly. “Of course he didn’t, because the last time I knew him was weeks from now. Collin was saying something about a block on me. I don’t know what a block is. The last time we met, Drake said he could physically see that we were connected. Kind of like how you can see these…auras. Did he not see it this time? Why not? Then I’ve tried to reach out to Jaxson, but nothing.”
I knew I was rambling and not making any sense. I sighed. “Sometimes I think this is all just a dream or they were a dream. Yet, I know that Drake is extremely smart, but shy. That he has loved Rose. He loves to cook and should get a James Beard award, but for some unknown reason he’s still pursuing a career in child phycology. He won the junior Olympics in swimming. If that’s all public knowledge, then how about the fact that he has a weird eclectic taste of music that he listens to when he studies. Sometimes I wished my memories had been taken too,” I said wiping my fingers under my eyes, so my tears didn’t ruin my makeup.
He reached and squeezed my shoulders. “You don’t mean that. If they would have done that, then you may have switched to the other side. They wanted to isolate you, make you dependent on Collin. In a new school. No friends. No work. It’s a classic case of them trying to control you. It’s almost like Stockholm syndrome. You will be so conditioned, eventually you’ll blindly follow along with almost anything they suggest, because you’ll grow affectionate to Collin.”
I stopped abruptly and turned to him. “Gavin, you’re brilliant! Of course that’s exactly what they wanted to do to me. That’s why they took music away from me too!”
He grinned back at me and sniffed with mock conceitedness. “I know I am.” Then he said slowly, “Music, huh? You play an instrument? I’m partial to the guitar, myself.”
I grinned at him conspiratorially. “Follow me,” I started to jog off towards the music building.
He easily fell into step with me. Which wasn’t hard to do. I was short and so out of shape. “Where are we going?”
I smiled mysteriously up at him, “You’ll see.”
I knew exactly which room I was headed towards. It was almost lunch time. The faculty would be on the opposite side of the building. The students that normally took their breaks at this time left their instruments there. No one would dare steal another person’s instrument. I only had plans of borrowing it.
“Umm, I heard this building was strictly off limits to non-students and faculty. The only time outsiders are allowed in are when they have their performances.” Gavin said hesitantly.
I shrugged and gave him a challenging look. “Where’s your sense of adventure? And technically, I was already accepted once.”
“Before though,” Gavin said in hushed tones as we entered the building.
I went down the first hall on the right and followed it all the way to the end. I opened the door to the large auditorium of sorts. It wasn’t nearly as big as the performance auditorium, but it was still impressive in size. Just as I suspected, the previous students had left their instruments behind.
I found a violin in its case and then walked to the piano. I no longer had stage fright. Being in the band had given me a confidence I never thought I could ever have performing. I still had nerves and butterflies, but I embraced them now instead of letting them control me. I decided to play a song that the band and I had just started working on collaboratively. I started the introduction with the violin. Then I placed it back in its case. I switched over to the piano and sang the lyrics to the rest of the song. In the original we had an acoustic guitar, violin, and bass join in by the chorus.
I looked over at Gavin when I was done, and he grinned. “That was amazing. You have a great voice and you’re quite adept on those instruments. Are those the only two instruments you play.”
I smiled even though this made me depressed too. “I know the guitar too. Want to hear my piece that got me in here the first time?”
“Yeah,” he said enthusiastically.
I grinned and took a deep breath. This one was so much more personal to me—it was my heart’s song, Rumination. The definition meant a deep or considered thought about something. It also was a problem in anxiety and depression. Some people dwelled on an issue and continued to let it plague them. It caused them to have anxiety and then they would slip into depression. I could have let life take me down the dark path of depression, but with the help of the guys and clinging to the little good I had experienced before them, I had risen above that dark spiraling tunnel.
When I was done, I turned to see the look of deep thought on Gavin’s face and then froze when I noticed Dr. Allen in the doorway, and he didn’t look happy.
“Are you a student here, are any of you?” he asked with his arms crossed over his chest.
I knew from past experience that he was tough as nails. He liked to push people beyond their preconceived limits. He never pulled punches. He was blunt to the point of rudeness. And he was the best teacher in this school.
I gulped and sent an apologetic look towards Gavin. “No sir,” I replied. “I just got here yesterday, and I heard what an excellent music program you had here, so I decided to check it out. I couldn’t resist the call of the instrument.” I tried to lie smoothly.
“You didn’t sign a student guide expressing that this building was prohibited?” he looked at me skeptically. Luckily all his attention was directed towards me.
“No, sir,” I answered truthfully. I hadn’t. Not the first time or the second time.
“We sh
all see about that.” He pulled out his cell phone and started talking quietly into it.
I’m sorry, I mouthed to Gavin.
He shrugged and winked at me. I didn’t envision him being a rule breaker, but he seemed calm and was taking it in stride.
Later, we both were in the back of a security vehicle on the way towards the administration building. I noticed Dr. Allen was following behind us.
“I’m so sorry,” I muttered to Gavin.
“It’s all good,” he put an arm around the back of my seat. “They only slap our wrist for the first infraction. They won’t kick us out or anything.”
I sighed. “Good. I wonder where they’re taking us? I know Will and some of the board members have offices in this building,” I informed him quietly.
We pulled up in front of the building, and the security guard didn’t even bother pulling into a parking spot; he just parked in the fire lane and waited for us to leave the vehicle. I felt like a juvenile delinquent as the guard led us into the building. Dr. Allen was a few steps behind us.
My morbid sense of humor had me giggling. Gavin shot me a surprised look. I couldn’t help it. Most of the kids in my trailer park had turn to a life of crime, sex, drugs, and alcoholism once they hit puberty. They became a product of their environment, unlike myself. I had seen plenty of them being hauled off to juvie, or even jail. I never thought I would be being hauled in, in the back of a security car. Sure, it wasn’t the same, but this was the closest I got to being chastised or reprimanded by any authority figure.
We entered the building where I had only visited once before. We were led down a narrow hallway to a door that read Conference Room 1. Dr. Allen stepped forward and opened the door.
My steps faltered as I saw Will and Mr. Young sitting behind a long table. Will looked like he was busy rifling through a few files, while Mr. Young was shooting daggers at me with his eyes.
“Trespassing, Blake?” he asked. His voice dripped disdain.
I couldn’t help but let a small bark of laughter, in surprise. “Sorry,” I said with an unapologetic look. “I wasn’t aware that a public building in the middle of the campus was trespassing.”
“There weren’t any signs posted to the effect either,” Gavin said smoothly.
“Yet, Mr. Kincaid,” Will finally spoke, looking up; his eyes stern, his expression cold. “You signed the student handbook acknowledging the fact that the music hall was restricted to all non-students.” Then his cool blue eyes turned towards me. He seemed momentarily contemplative as he looked at me. A flicker of recognition seemed to linger in his eyes before he shook it off.
I realized without my wild dark curls, I could look like any other petite, dark haired, green eyed girl. I cursed myself for straightening my hair today. The first time we met each other again he had chided the boys for not recognizing me. At five, when I technically met Jace, Jaxson, and Will at the institute, I had distinctive features worth remembering.
He continued, still scrutinizing me. “However, Ms. Thomas, other than your class schedule and enrollment information, you are missing a lot of things in your file.” He leaned back and steepled his fingers over his lips. “Who was your sponsor? I see that you received a scholarship to attend here and you are…17 and attending college. Are you even capable of handling it?”
I stiffened slightly. “Mr. Young was my sponsor as far as I knew. I’m more than capable of handling it. I had a 4.0 GPA at my high school and taking college prep and AP classes.”
He nodded, then looked over at Zach Young who seemed to squirm slightly under his scrutiny. “We’re missing the copy of her birth certificate, any form of identification, her parent emergency information. She’s a minor, and I have zero parental consent papers. And her transcripts from her previous school isn’t even in here. It’s highly unorthodox to have a high school senior begin her college classes. We had a few who split their studies, yet you made the decision to place her in all college courses in the middle of the semester. How is she supposed to catch up and stay on top of current studies?”
Zach looked angry for one moment before he gave a charismatic smile. I knew from experience he couldn’t use his gifts on Will. Will was a telekinetic, but he was strongly gifted and was able to block any attempts at trying to get into his head. “I thought my secretary included all of that. Her father is dead, and her step mother is in jail. My secretary was supposed to track down her birth certificate and transcripts, put my information as an emergency contact, and I didn’t think the parental consent form was that necessary. We’ve waived them in the past. Blake is more than capable of meeting the challenge, aren’t you, dear?”
I felt his icy cold presence in my head and felt myself nodding. I was unprepared for his intrusion, and I was unable to speak. Otherwise I would have told him my birth name, reveal to Will my birthname and hope he could intercede on my behalf; let him know he had at least two spies in his ranks.
Will made a displeased sound. “I need her file complete by the end of the week, and if she cannot be where she is by the beginning of next semester, she will be placed in high school once more.” He looked over at Zach. “I’m wondering why you’re showing interest in Ms. Thomas. Is she…special?”
“No, not in the way you’re implying,” Zach said hastily, a little too hastily. “She’s an old friend of Collins, and he asked me to do him a favor and help her out.”
Will raised a brow. “So, you attended the school my son teaches in? The same school Collin came from? Did you take any music classes there?”
With Zach’s compulsion, I was unable to do anything but shake my head. I could feel him convincing me that Will was evil, Will wasn’t to be trusted. I had to push back with everything I had in me. I couldn’t let him tarnish my memories of Will.
Zach was quick to speak. “She didn’t attend that school. She met him elsewhere. I’ll have her transcripts by the end of the day.”
I looked over at Gavin, panic in my eyes. He seemed to be highly confused. He looked between me and Zach. Suddenly, I felt like all my limbs, head, and body were unable to move. Zach must have realized I was trying to silently communicate with Gavin. He was ensuring none of us could act for me.
I’m sure Zach had outside help to forge all that paperwork. It wasn’t like I could deny his lies in that moment or refute him in anyway. The moment Will got my forged paperwork, there would be no reason for him to delve further into my true identity.
“She should be in the music program,” Dr. Allen said coolly from the doorway. I had forgotten that he was even there. “Even though she broke the rules, and since she was unaware of them, I’m putting in a recommendation that she’s allowed to participate in the upcoming try-outs for next semester.”
“Really?” Will said with interest. He seemed surprised. I knew from past experience that Dr. Allen barely bothered himself with recruiting new students. He would occasionally be on the board of admissions, but other than that, he was too busy with the select students he had a special interest in.
Zach made a sound of annoyance. “She already has enough on her plate. She can’t add a music class to her already busy schedule.”
Will looked at me. Well would you be interested?”
I wanted to eagerly nod, but once again I was frozen to move or speak.
“She would love to,” Gavin blurted out.
I wanted to look over at him in gratitude.
“She can speak for herself,” Zach said coolly. “Well, Blake?” he asked with a smug smile.
Gavin stood up in agitation, clearly understanding that I was unable to move or speak. “She was just telling me today how much she missed music. That’s why we snuck into the music hall. She’s highly talented and deserves this opportunity. She must be feeling overwhelmed now.” He squeezed my shoulder reassuringly, and I felt this odd feeling like his touch was unraveling the hold Zach had on me. The icy coldness that had engulfed me was being replaced with a warm heat. It was like Gavin’s gift had the abilit
y to imitate Mr. Youngs.
My eyes widened, and I finally turned to him. Gavin didn’t just have the ability to see people’s powers; with his touch, he had been able to release me from Zach’s hold. Zach looked at him with narrowed eyes and an equal amount of shock.
I cursed inwardly. I needed to protect him now as well.
“Well, it’s settled then,” Will finally said. “Try-outs are October twenty first at 8 a.m. Here’s an excusal slip for your class—your class has already started.” He looked sternly at me and Gavin before he handed us a slip. “I’m hoping to never see either one of you in here again.”
“No, sir,” Gavin and I replied simultaneously.
“What did you do?” I whispered urgently to Gavin as we walked from the bus to the school.
“What do you mean?” Gavin asked truly mystified.
“Mr. Young had compelled me.” At his confused look, I said carefully, remembering he was new to all this, “Basically, he’s a puppet master, like I am, was. He can make people say and do whatever he wants. He can even make you forget it. You touched me, and I felt his hold release.”
He looked at me with widened eyes. “You can do that? Wow,” he breathed reverently. “I don’t know what I did. I got really upset when I realized he had you…immobilized and I just imagined…breaking his hold on you.”
“I’m impressed. You say you see…auras, is that it? Have you ever tried to do anything else?” I wasn’t that familiar with all the gifts out there, but I had a few hunches.
I racked my brain wondering who I could trust to help us.
He shook his head and put his hands deep in his front pockets. “I don’t know. This is all so new to me.”
“Well, we need to make sure we keep you away from Zach Young. He wanted me to not trust Will, that Will was evil. He isn’t,” I said hurriedly as we took the steps up to our History of Performance Arts class.
We were approximately twenty minutes late, and I knew we were going to look horrible walking in late. Luck was not on our side today. The doors were squeaky, and everyone turned as we walked in.