The back of her head was against his neck, but she turned so she was facing him, facing his neck. If she opened her mouth, she could lick it. Not that she would lick his neck—that would be weird. But she opened her mouth a little so he could feel her breath.
His heart beat louder. I should do it, he thought. Why not?
Exactly, Tess thought. Why not! Do it! Do it! You should do it!
Ever so slowly, he lowered his head down to hers. A second more and their lips would be touching. Don’t think about it, he thought. Just do it.
She agreed a hundred percent. She closed her eyes, waiting.
His lips touched hers. Soft at first. She pressed back. So soft. She hadn’t expected his lips to be so soft. Sweet, even. It was weird to have known someone for so long, to know him so well, but not know what his lips felt like. To not know such an important part of him.
They were kissing, their lips opening and closing, so soft, so sweet, so gentle. It was all she had expected and nothing she had expected wrapped together in one feeling. It was everything.
When the song ended, he pulled back, blinking.
She was about to burst with happiness. “Hey,” she said shyly.
And then he thought, I hope Sadie didn’t see.
Tess’s heart exploded.
* * *
Murmurs of a fight spread through the party and we all came to see what was going on.
“Cooper!” Mackenzie yelled as she watched Bennett go flying back.
“What the fuck?” Bennett yelled from the floor.
“What do you expect?” Cooper yelled. “You hook up with my girlfriend and then show up here and don’t expect me to punch you in the face? Are you an idiot?” Cooper was furious. He wanted to do more than hit the guy. He wanted to kick him. He wanted to kill him.
“I didn’t know you knew, asshole.” Bennett stood up and rubbed the side of his face.
Cooper lunged to hit him again.
Mackenzie grabbed his arm. “Stop it. What are you doing?”
“Why the fuck is he here? You invited him?”
“I invited him before!”
“Before what? Before you hooked up with him or before I found out?”
“Before … anyone found out.” I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have invited him. I don’t know why I did.
Cooper couldn’t take it anymore. “I picked out the invitations with you! I picked them out and then you sent one to him! What were you thinking?” He heard his voice crack.
“I’m sorry,” she whimpered. Please, Cooper, not here.
“You’re always sorry. Just not sorry enough.”
To make things worse, that was when Cooper’s mother and father walked over to them, looking stern.
“Cooper, what’s going on?” his dad asked.
“Are you fucking serious?” he yelled. He knew he was losing it. He knew, but he couldn’t stop. He felt like the Hulk just as he was about to turn green. “I’ll tell you what’s going on!”
Mackenzie grabbed his arm. “Cooper! Stop it!”
“Calm down,” his father said. What the hell is wrong with him?
“Nothing is wrong with me. Something’s wrong with all of you. I don’t want to calm down. I want everyone else to stop being such fucking liars.”
Is he drunk? his mother worried.
“No, Mom, I am not drunk. I am pissed off. At this jerkoff for showing up. At Dad for screwing Jordana’s mother and some woman in Chicago. And at you for calling a divorce lawyer. Although Dad definitely deserves it.”
His mom gasped.
We all gasped.
His dad shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do. I know what’s going on. Mackenzie knows what’s going on. Everyone in this whole fucking room knows what’s going on, because we can hear everything you’re all thinking.”
Shit.
Uh-oh.
Here we go.
He’s definitely drunk.
Everyone at the party who wasn’t us looked around in confusion.
“I think he’s high,” one of the party guests said. “Do you see his eyes? They look weird.”
Nick and Isaac came up beside him. “Hey, man, let’s go outside and get some air, okay?”
Cooper looked around at all of us. And then he deflated like a popped balloon.
Mackenzie reached out to try to touch him, but he stepped back. “No. Everyone leave me alone.”
He pushed his way through everyone and into the stairwell. He ran down the one flight and ended up in the hotel lobby. He stood still for a minute trying to calm down. No one even wanted to hear what he had to say. No one cared. His father had practically dismissed him.
“Cooper,” said a woman behind him. He turned.
She had her red hair pulled back and was wearing black pants and a black blouse. She looked familiar, but he couldn’t figure out from where.
Yup. His eyes are purplish. “I heard what you said up there,” she said. “About hearing other people’s thoughts. I want to talk to you.”
Cooper took a step toward her. At least she wanted to listen.
* * *
“What a freak,” Lazar said, shaking his head.
Olivia, who, like the rest of us, had witnessed the whole scene, felt her heart break for Cooper. “He’s not a freak. He’s just overwhelmed.”
“He’s a loser,” Lazar said. “Can we go now?”
Suddenly, Olivia realized that Lazar wasn’t like her. He wasn’t shy. He was antisocial. She had always liked being around people—but she just didn’t know how to talk to them. He didn’t like people. He liked judging them.
“Go without me,” she said.
“What do you mean?” He took a step back. I must have heard that wrong.
“You didn’t hear that wrong. I want to stay. If you want to go home so badly, go home.”
He shook his head. I don’t need this attitude. “We came together. We should leave together.”
“But I’m not ready to leave yet. And you’re clearly miserable, so go.”
“You want me to leave by myself?” He looked incredulous.
“Yes. Goodbye! No one’s keeping you here!” She wanted to forcibly shove him out the door.
Bitch, he thought. Then he stormed out.
For the first time all night, Olivia breathed a huge sigh of relief.
She spotted Tess, Sadie, Mackenzie, Jordana, and Levi in the corner and hurried over to find out what was going on.
Mackenzie was shaking.
“What happened to Cooper?” Olivia asked.
“He just blurted everything out,” Mackenzie said. “And then he ran off.”
“It’s not like anyone believed him,” Jordana added.
“Has anyone seen Pi?” Sadie asked. “She’ll know what to do.”
“I think she left,” Levi said.
“I’ll text her and see where she is,” Tess said. Stupid jerk.
“Who’s a stupid jerk?” Jordana asked her. “Cooper?”
“Not Cooper.” Tess shot a look at Sadie. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I saw you and Teddy making out,” Levi said to her. “What’s up with that?”
“Nothing’s up with that,” Tess muttered. Don’t wanna talk about it.
Mackenzie was still shaking. “I think I want to go home.”
“You can’t leave,” Tess told her. “It’s your party.”
“I don’t care,” Mackenzie said. Her face was bright red. “I can’t breathe. I need to get out of here.”
Olivia put her arm around her. “Take deep breaths, okay? Let’s just step outside and get some air. Someone tell her parents where we are. Someone get us some water.”
Olivia led Mackenzie out the door and into the stairwell, leaving the rest of us behind.
“That was some Sweet,” Jordana said.
Levi shook his head. It was more of a sour.
We couldn’t help but groan.
&nbs
p; CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
WE’VE BEEN MEANING TO TELL YOU
They called us early the next morning.
7:02 a.m. Ring!
Mackenzie woke up immediately.
“Who the hell is calling so early?” barked her dad, We did it three times last night! I am loving my Viagra prescription!
Cooper’s house line rang at 7:11 a.m.. He was already awake and pouring his sister a bowl of cereal. He had barely slept all night.
“Nobody get that!” Cooper’s mom yelled, storming into the kitchen and glaring at the phone. It went to voice mail. No way I’m getting that. It’s definitely Harry calling from his hotel. She listened to the voice mail two minutes later.
It was not Cooper’s dad. It was Nathan Michaels, the school’s principal.
The message requested Cooper’s family to please call back immediately. They would be having an emergency meeting in the BHS auditorium at seven p.m. regarding their son’s homeroom, and it was imperative that he and his parents go.
7:22 a.m. Ring!
Olivia heard her mom pick up and wondered who it could be. What happened? Who died? In Olivia’s mind, all middle-of-the-night or early-morning calls were to report heart attacks, brain aneurysms, or plane crashes.
“But why?” she heard her mother ask. “What’s this about? Is my daughter sick?”
Pause.
“Is she in any kind of danger?”
Pause.
“What about the flu shot?” Olivia’s mom shrieked.
Pause.
“Unusual neurological symptoms? Are you kidding me?”
Of course, Olivia’s mom ran right into Olivia’s room.
“Wake up!” she yelled, throwing open the door. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”
Olivia was already sitting up in her bed and waiting.
“What’s going on?” Her mom continued. “What happened with the flu shots? What aren’t you telling me?” Principal Michaels called! I thought someone died! You have complications from a tainted flu shot! They told us not to tell anyone! Her face was red and she was out of breath.
At first all Olivia could think was, I can’t deal with her now, but when she saw the panic in her mom’s eyes and heard her think, If something bad happens to my daughter, I’ll kill myself, Olivia reached out her arms to hug her.
“I’m fine,” Olivia began. “Sit down. I’ll tell you everything. I’ll show you what I can do.”
And she did.
We all did.
* * *
We texted back and forth like crazy.
Levi: What happened? How did Michaels find out?
Jordana: Does the whole school know?
Nick: School admin knows, teachers don’t. Except my mom.
Isaac: That new nurse was at the Sweet. Maybe she told Michaels? Pi?
Daniel: We saw Cooper talking to her in the lobby.
Courtney: Cooper, did you talk to her?
Jordana: Cooper?
Levi: Cooper???
Tess: Pi, what do we do?
Pi: We go to the meeting and hear what they have to say.
What choice did we have?
* * *
We were all early.
Even Cooper. He showed up with both his parents, which was a bit awkward, considering his father had moved into the Conrad hotel the night before. Cooper sat on the opposite side of the room from Mackenzie. He gave her a sad smile when he saw her, but quickly looked away.
“Thank you for coming,” said the man on the stage. He’d introduced himself as Hank Soporic, executive director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He was tall and wore a blue suit and traumatized expression. I can’t believe this is happening. This makes no sense. This is impossible.
No kidding.
Suzanna sat by his side.
Hank coughed. “As I’m sure your children have informed you, they seem to have developed some, um, complications from their flu shot.”
Complications! Ha!
A sore arm is a complication. We’ve become mutants.
It’s true. We’re like the X-Men.
You know, the Espies would make an awesome comic book series.
We hear thoughts and fight crime!
I am so not wearing a leather catsuit.
Hank rubbed his forehead and continued. “It appears that the flu vaccine has caused your children to develop …” His voice trailed off and his face flushed with embarrassment. I can’t believe I’m saying these things out loud. They make no scientific sense. “To develop headaches. Headaches and … a form of telepathy.” He shook his head. This is insanity. “It appears that they can read other people’s thoughts.”
Our parents:
She wasn’t kidding?
Impossible!
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.
“They’ve really been hearing everything we’ve been thinking?” Levi’s mom asked.
“Yes,” Hank said, still shaking his head. “That seems to be the case.”
Everything?
Even the swearing?
Oh shit.
“How many people have been affected?” Isaac’s dad asked.
“We can’t share that information with you at the moment”—because we have no idea—“but we can tell you that we’ve traced at least three contaminated batches.”
Contaminated?
Batches, plural?
There are others with telepathy?
Oh God. I hope it’s not my French tutor. She’s so hot.
“Were all the batches given to New York City students?” asked Courtney’s mom.
“No. One of the contaminated batches was delivered to a nursing home in Jacksonville, Florida. One was delivered to a family clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, and one was delivered here, to Manhattan. To Bloomberg High School.”
At least no one else at school is reading my thoughts secretly.
At least it’s not my French tutor. She’s so hot.
Olivia’s mom thought she might hyperventilate. What if this causes brain tumors? “Are those the only complications? Telepathy and headaches?”
“No.” Hank rubbed his forehead again. It gets scarier.
Scarier?
Now I’m nervous.
You’re only nervous now?
“We’ve also noticed a slight pigment change in the subjects’ irises. You might notice that your children have a purplish tint to their eyes.”
Our parents all stared into our eyes.
I did notice that.
I thought she looked good.
I thought he was tired.
I thought he was on drugs.
“We’re not sure what’s causing the pigment change but we believe it’s related to the telepathy. We believe headaches may be another side effect. Symptoms tend to be severe immediately following the vaccine and tend to clear up. The risk of pigment change seems to increase as time goes on.” As does the risk of death.
Huh?
“Death?” Olivia repeated.
“Are you kidding me?” Jordana called out. “We’re going to die?”
A startled Hank nearly jumped off the stage. “Oh! I forgot you could … hear me.”
Our parents started panicking.
“Death?”
“Who said anything about dying?”
We should have moved to Canada. This would never happen in Canada!
Hank cleared his throat again. “One patient who received the contaminated vaccination suffered a stroke and … er … expired.”
Our parents:
Expired? As in died?
The vaccination killed someone?
My poor baby!
Us:
My mom’s a lawyer!
We should sue!
We can’t sue if we’re dead!
I can’t believe I’m going to die a virgin!
“But,” Hank continued, his voice shaky, “he was also eighty-one. The stroke may have been unrelated. The autopsy was inconclusive.”
“Why
weren’t we notified about this situation immediately?” Cooper’s dad barked. “Did you know that contamination was a possibility when our kids were vaccinated?”
“Absolutely not,” he said. It’s not like we believed the complaints. Telepathy? Gimme a break.
“So there were reports of telepathy,” Nick called out. “You just didn’t listen to them.”
Hank reddened. “Er, right. There were reports. Three weeks ago a clinic in Ohio contacted us. They’d had complaints from patients who’d received their flu shots and seemed to have developed … unusual neurological symptoms.”
“You mean telepathy,” Olivia’s mom said.
“Right,” he squeaked. “Telepathy. Patients claimed to have developed telepathy. We were, um, doubtful at first.” That’s the understatement of the year. We joked about it over cappuccinos. Oops. They can hear that. Just kidding! We didn’t joke about it! We don’t drink cappuccinos! We work in a government building! We can’t afford a cappuccino maker! I should just keep talking. Yes. Continue talking. “In addition to the, um, unusual neurological symptoms, the patients in Ohio complained of headaches and changing eye color. We instructed them to monitor their symptoms. …” How were we supposed to know that they weren’t crazies? They sounded like crazies. This whole thing makes no sense. I miss SARS. “Then we received some calls from a retirement home in Florida with reports of similar symptoms. By the time we followed up, the death had already occurred. The retirement home patients had in fact received their vaccinations before those in Ohio, but the nurses believed the patients were suffering from age-related dementia. It wasn’t until there was a cluster of symptoms that the health practitioners took them seriously and informed us. Now we’re tracing the batches we believe to have been contaminated. We thought one might have been sent to Bloomberg High School but we didn’t know which students had received the infected batch. Unfortunately Nurse Carmichael improperly tracked them.” Idiot.
“Why didn’t you ask everyone who’d gotten flu shots if they had telepathy?” Jordana asked.
He flushed again. “It just … well, it seemed like a loony thing to ask. And we didn’t want to cause a panic. We thought surveillance was a better idea. We removed Nurse Carmichael and installed one of our own agents—Dr. Dail—at Bloomberg, and hoping that she would be able to find the affected parties.”
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