“From this?” Tess asked.
“Sort of,” Pi said. “Not because of this, but because it freaked her out. She was doing her public speech and then it kicked in and she passed out.”
“Is she okay?” Tess asked.
“Probably,” Pi said. She didn’t want to talk about Olivia. She wanted to talk about what was happening to them.
“But what is happening to us?” Mackenzie asked, throwing her hands up.
“We can hear each other’s thoughts,” Pi said.
“Not just each other’s,” Tess said, looking at the crowd in the hallway. “I can hear everyone’s thoughts.”
“But why is this only happening to the four of us?” Mackenzie asked, her forehead wrinkling. “It’s not happening to anyone else.”
Pi was deep in thought. “We’re all in the same homeroom.” But what else did they have in common? Nothing, as far as she could tell. The other two definitely weren’t as smart as she was.
“Hey,” Mackenzie said. “Just because my GPA is low doesn’t make me stupid.” I just don’t try.
“Whatever,” Pi said with a shrug. “It’s irrelevant. What do the four of us have in common?”
Mackenzie and Tess stared at her blankly.
Suddenly all the numbers aligned. Aha! “We all got our flu shots yesterday,” Pi said.
“But everyone got their flu shots,” Tess said. “Most of the school got their flu shots.”
“That’s true,” Pi said. “I need to think about this.”
Mackenzie rubbed the spot on her arm where she’d gotten the vaccination. “I didn’t even want the shot!”
Pi rolled her eyes. “None of us wanted the shot.”
“No, but I really, really didn’t want to get it. I just did it because …” I wanted to punish myself.
Pi didn’t understand what Mackenzie meant about the punishment thing. They had telepathy. This was amazing. They were exceptional.
“I wonder how long it will last,” Tess said.
Not long, Mackenzie hoped.
They watched Nurse Carmichael enter the classroom. “Maybe we should talk to the nurse about it,” Tess said.
Pi considered the options. Should they seek medical advice? What if the condition was dangerous? On the other hand, once they went public they couldn’t take it back. Once they went public she would surely lose control of the situation. “If it really is telepathy, maybe we don’t want everyone aware that we can read their minds,” she said.
“People would freak out,” Tess said.
“They’d cart us off to some mental institution,” Mackenzie said, turning white. “Hook us up to all kinds of tubes.” So. Many. Needles. I don’t deserve that. Do I? “Maybe we shouldn’t say anything. It might go away.”
Tess nodded. If I only have one day with this ability, I want to put it to good use.
Pi was still weighing the options. There was no real rush to tell. She could always change her mind in the morning—if it was still happening. She might as well try to explore it on her own that day. It was like poker—no reason to show the rest of the world that she had a flush. “I think for now we should keep this just between us.”
“I agree,” Tess said.
Mackenzie nodded.
“I’ll talk to Olivia,” Pi said.
I’m going to find out everyone’s secret thoughts! Tess thought.
Pi caught Mackenzie scowling. I don’t want Tess knowing my secret thoughts. I don’t want anyone knowing my secret thoughts.
“Why?” Pi asked. “What are your secret thoughts?”
“Nothing,” Mackenzie blurted out. Don’t think about it, don’t think about it.
Tess shook her head. She doesn’t want the whole school knowing she cheated on Cooper.
Aha.
“Tess!” Mackenzie yelled.
Tess clamped her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to think it!”
As if Pi cared enough to keep up with her classmates’ on-and-off-again relationships.
Mackenzie bit her lip. Maybe I should talk to Carmichael. Maybe I want this mind reading thing to end as soon as possible. Before it ruins my life.
“It won’t ruin your life,” Tess said quickly. “We won’t tell anyone about the Cooper thing. Swear.”
“Swear?” Mackenzie asked.
Tess nodded.
Mackenzie turned to Pi.
“Whatever,” she said. “I barely even heard anything. Don’t worry about it.” Like I honestly care about her stupid relationship.
“Hey!” Mackenzie said.
Pi rolled her eyes. “Sorry.”
Tess linked her arm through Mackenzie’s. “Let’s go to the cafeteria. See what everyone’s up to.” I want to find Teddy. ASAP.
Pi had no idea who Teddy was and didn’t care about that either.
“How do you not know who Teddy is?” Tess asked. “Teddy Russell? He’s in our grade. He’s my guy best friend.”
Pi leaned against a locker. “I don’t know. I just don’t. You guys go. I’ll wait for Olivia. What we should do is figure out if there are other people this is happening to. If so, round them up. Have a meeting.”
Mackenzie nodded. “Where?”
“Club room 309. I have a key,” Pi said. “I’m on the chess team.”
Were we surprised by that? Not even a little.
CHAPTER SEVEN
THAT’S WHAT YOU THINK
When Olivia opened her eyes, she saw a white ceiling. She was lying on a floor. She closed her eyes again.
“Olivia?” she heard. “Can you hear me?”
“Yes,” Olivia said. She opened her eyes and saw Nurse Carmichael—and then remembered what happened.
Oh. My. God.
She quickly closed her eyes again. She’d had a total breakdown. She’d hallucinated that she could hear people’s thoughts! Who did that? The stress of speaking in public must have really gone to her head. She kept her eyes shut tight. “Is everyone watching me?” she asked.
“We cleared the class out. It’s just you and me.”
This was worse than she’d thought. “Did I faint?”
“Yes.”
“How long was I out for?”
“About a minute and a half. Your friend Renée caught you, so you didn’t hurt anything.”
“Sorry to bother you,” Olivia said. “Again.”
“It’s no problem,” Nurse Carmichael said, and Olivia finally opened her eyes.
Of all the kids who could have fainted, why does it have to be the one with the crazy mom?
Wait. What? Nurse Carmichael wasn’t talking. Her lips weren’t even moving.
Olivia decided she was still hallucinating. She tried to sit up, but Nurse Carmichael put a hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t get up yet,” Nurse Carmichael said. And then she thought, If she passes out again, I’m going to call an ambulance.
Olivia did not want an ambulance to come get her at school. Talk about embarrassing. “I’m fine,” she said quickly. “Please don’t call an ambulance.”
Nurse Carmichael blinked. Did I say that out loud?
No, Olivia realized. But she didn’t want to admit that. Because if she actually had heard it in her mind, Nurse Carmichael would definitely call an ambulance. And a shrink.
“Has this ever happened before?” Nurse Carmichael asked.
Had she ever heard voices in her head? No, she must have meant the fainting. “When I was younger,” Olivia said.
“Let’s go into my office,” Nurse Carmichael said. Maybe I should call an ambulance. If I don’t and she faints again, that crazy Jennifer Byrne will sue. I’ll lose my job! I’ll have to go back to stripping!
Agh! That was way more info than Olivia wanted to know about Nurse Carmichael.
Olivia rubbed her throbbing temples. No way had Nurse Carmichael been a stripper. Olivia was hearing voices in her head. Hallucinations. They would go away soon. Wouldn’t they? Yes. They would. Of course they would.
<
br /> “Would you like me to call your mom?” Nurse Carmichael asked. I’d rather lick a cactus needle. No, I’d rather stick a cactus needle in my eye.
“Why don’t I just rest for an hour?” Olivia asked. “There’s no reason to bother my mom yet. You know how panicked she gets. It’s almost lunch. I’ll rest in your office until then and we’ll see how I’m doing, okay?”
“Oh. Okay.” Nurse Carmichael stood up. “Let’s go.”
Olivia sat up. The room swayed, but she placed her hands firmly on the floor to steady herself. She probably had a concussion. Oh my god, can I die from this? I probably can.
Nurse Carmichael reached out to help her. “Let’s go.” I hope Roth isn’t still out there. He terrifies me.
Olivia could hear that. The thing about her teacher. Not only was she dizzy and concussed, she was still hallucinating. It could be a stroke. Death could come at any second.
“Something weird is happening,” she began as Nurse Carmichael opened the door.
“What?”
Olivia took a deep breath. She had to tell the nurse. What if she was having an aneurysm? “I hear something … strange.”
Outside the door, the hallway was empty. Mostly. Pi was leaning over and tying her shoes.
Pi looked up. “How are you feeling?”
“Um … fine,” Olivia said. Besides the fact that I’m probably dying.
“Good,” Pi said. You’re not dying. Don’t tell Nurse Carmichael anything. Come with me and I’ll explain.
I imagined that, Olivia tried to convince herself. I need to go to the hospital. It is my concussion talking. I’m going to need a CAT scan.
Pi shook her head. You’re not imagining it. I can hear you. You can hear me. Tell Nurse Carmichael you’re feeling fine and come with me to the chess room.
Olivia didn’t understand what was happening. “But—”
“Everything okay, Olivia?” Nurse Carmichael asked. “Let’s go.”
Tell her everything’s fine and that you’re coming with me instead.
Olivia didn’t know who to trust. Was she going crazy? Were she and Pi going crazy?
Just tell her!
Okay! But if I die of an aneurysm, it will be your fault! “You know what, Nurse Carmichael? I’m feeling better. In fact, I think I want to get some lunch. Pi will look after me. If I have any issues, I’ll go straight to your office.” If I’m not already dead.
Nurse Carmichael looked worried. “You sure?” I shouldn’t let her go. But I really do need to run to the pharmacy to get more condoms for tonight.
Pi and Olivia exchanged disgusted looks.
No, Olivia wasn’t sure, but she nodded anyway. She needed to get away from Nurse Carmichael before she could never look the woman in the eye again.
I wonder if I have time to pick up a sexy French maid’s outfit.
Olivia grimaced. Too late.
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE JUNGLE
Tess and Mackenzie had two minutes before the lunch bell. Mackenzie checked her phone and saw a text from Cooper:
Still on for my place?
No way. She could not go to Cooper’s right then. She had to meet with Pi and Tess. And what if Cooper could hear her thoughts too? No, if he could, he wouldn’t have sent that text. His text would have said something along the lines of Holy shit, something weird is happening to me.
True, he was in their homeroom. He’d gotten the same flu shot. But so far it was only happening to Pi, Tess, Olivia, and her. Maybe it was a girl thing?
Either way, they’d have to postpone their alone time until this whole mind reading thing was cleared up.
Mackenzie texted back:
Can’t today. Sorry.
“Let’s do this,” Tess said, eyes twinkling.
They stepped into the cafeteria. A cacophony of voices rushed at Mackenzie.
—five french fries today. Five. No more. My thighs are too—
—There’s an empty seat at Jake’s table! Should I take it? But Amanda said—
—Did I just get my period?—
As each thought hit Mackenzie’s mind, so did a stabbing pain in her forehead.
She could hear people’s thoughts. Could they hear hers?
Hello! she screamed in her head. Can anyone hear me?
“Yeah, me,” Tess said, rubbing her forehead. “Don’t shout.”
“I meant besides you,” Mackenzie said.
“Pi and Olivia,” said Tess. “Duh.”
Cooper waved to her from their regular table at the opposite end of the room. He was sitting across from Joel, one of his good friends. Joel was also one of Mackenzie’s least favorite people. His face wore a permanent snarl.
Where’s Teddy? Mackenzie heard Tess wondering. I need to find Teddy! This is my chance to find out how he really feels about me!
Mackenzie looked at Cooper. What if he could read her mind? He’d know she cheated on him with Bennett. He’d hate her forever. There’d be nothing she could do.
I won’t say anything, Tess thought back. I swear.
I know you won’t. But what about Pi? What about Olivia? What about anyone else this is happening to?
They both looked over at Cooper. He was dipping french fries in ketchup. He didn’t seem to be stressing about anything. He looked totally normal.
“He doesn’t look like he has it,” Tess said.
“Do I look like I have it?” Mackenzie asked. “How do you look when you have it?”
“You look freaked out,” Tess told her.
We all did have a bit of a freaked-out look to us when we first got it. Which was understandable, since it was freaky.
Cooper, on the other hand, did not look freaked out at all. He looked completely at ease as he smiled at beady-eyed Joel.
“I don’t think he has it,” Tess said. “But look at BJ.”
BJ was sitting one table behind Cooper and did in fact look freaked out. Instead of eating the pizza in front of him, he’d placed his palms flat on the table and he was frantically looking back and forth at the people around him.
Tess giggled. “Should I put him out of his misery? Or let him wallow in it for a while? He’s such a perv. I do not want to know what he’s thinking at all.”
“How are you going to put him out of his misery? By telling him that he probably has telepathy?”
“By telling him that he’s not the only one.”
“I guess,” Mackenzie said. “And tell him we’re meeting in the chess club room in ten minutes. But, Tess—can you check on Cooper? Make sure he’s okay?” She wished she could hear what he was thinking from this end of the cafeteria. But it didn’t seem to work like that. You had to be kind of close to people to hear them. Although if she could hear what he was thinking from here, then he’d be able to hear what she was thinking from there. If he could hear what people were thinking at all.
“You’re worrying for nothing,” Tess said. “Look at him, he’s fine!”
Cooper waved to her again.
Mackenzie’s heart sped up. “Please just check.”
“Fine, give me a sec.” Tess hurried over and sat down in the empty spot beside him. Mackenzie pretended to be interested in the lunch choice of tacos or grilled cheese, as she tried to digest what was happening.
A voice in her head sounded just like when the person talked out loud—but a bit muffled. Like there was a pillow over the person’s mouth.
—heard Olivia passed out—thought Adam from homeroom as he walked by with a can of Diet Sprite.
—the tacos might look like cat barf but they taste really good—thought a freshman who passed by her next.
She could only hear people in her immediate vicinity. As soon as Adam walked away and the freshman walked by, the freshman’s thoughts kicked in.
The theme song from Dora the Explorer hit her next.
Unfortunately it was catchy. She couldn’t help but sing along.
And then she heard someone’s, If I cover my nose with my hand, wi
ll anyone notice me pick it?
Ew, really?
Mackenzie realized Tess was waving her over. Tess was too far for Mackenzie to hear what she was thinking, so she held her breath as she walked to the table. She gave Tess a look.
He doesn’t have it! Tess thought at her before jumping over to BJ.
Mackenzie exhaled.
“Hey, babe,” Cooper said. “What happened to our plans?”
“I’m sorry,” Mackenzie said, sitting down beside him. “I forgot I have stuff to do. I’m just going to get some food to take with me.” She hated that she was lying to him again. Hadn’t she told him enough lies? But she had to talk to the rest of the crew and figure out what to do. Figure out what this was.
He looked right into her eyes. I’m so bummed she canceled on me again. I miss her.
Crap. She leaned over and kissed him gently on the mouth. He tasted like ketchup.
“Get a room, you guys,” Joel hollered. He was chewing on an oatmeal cookie. This sucks. I’m glad I swiped it instead of coughing up the fifty cents.
“I was hoping to,” Cooper answered him, “but I’ll take what I can get.” He kissed Mackenzie again but then pulled back. Maybe I can change her mind. “We still have time …”
“I can’t,” Mackenzie said. “I’ll see you later.” She stood up abruptly.
What a cold bitch. It was coming from Joel.
“At least I don’t steal from the lunch lady,” she barked.
He flushed. She saw me?
Mackenzie knew she probably shouldn’t have said that. But c’mon. He’d called her a bitch.
What can we say? It wasn’t the first time someone thought Mackenzie was a bitch, and it definitely wouldn’t be the last.
CHAPTER NINE
US AGAINST THEM
Our first meeting took place in club room 309, the chess room.
It was small, and it had no windows since it was an interior room. It had brown carpet and smelled worse than the Chambers Street subway station in August.
Some of us sat on desks, some of us on chairs.
It was not the most organized meeting. Understandable, since on Day One we were kind of a mess. Half of us were talking out loud, the other half were thinking, and we all had headaches.
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