Emotionally Charged
Page 13
Dean shook his head. “Not really. I think if I try and do much more it will be getting into the territory of shutting down your powers for good.”
I looked at the crowd of teenagers moving around the school yard and their emotions felt like a thick cloud surrounding me. I couldn’t even clearly define them, just this rainbow-swirl mass of intense feeling. I felt like I could either punch a hole through a brick wall or suddenly take off flying. If my brain didn’t spontaneously combust first.
“Okay,” I took a deep breath. “Here we go.”
We made it in through the gates and were heading up the gum-spotted concrete path to the main building to take Dean to the office when I heard a long high pitch sound.
“Liiiivyyyy!”
Even the pressure in my head couldn’t stop me from being excited.
“Natiiiiiiiiiii!” I squealed back.
She appeared like magic from behind a group of kids exchanging class notes, and ran towards me in pretend slow motion. A huge toothy smile shone on her dark skin and her ringlets bounced in perfect rhythm along with her.
I opened my arms for a hug, laughing at her dramatics, but she stopped short a couple of steps from me and changed to a pouting, hands on hips stance.
“Where were you?” she accused. “You disappear for weeks and not a single call or message or So-Snap?”
We had a plan for this situation. Me and my parents had decided that if I shared anything about what happened, it would be exactly the same story I’d told the police. Consistency was everything, since we figured some news might have spread already. Nati seemed completely clueless though, and I wondered, maybe vainly, whether anything about what happened to Dean and I had made the news at all. It didn’t seem that way, which was odd.
I was only just opening my mouth when Nati started up again.
“You’ve been sick, haven’t you? Wow, look at you, you’re like walking dead, babe. It’s not contagious, right?”
I half smiled. I did feel pretty awful. Dealing with the relentless level of heightened emotions was taking a lot out of me. I felt clammy and jittery and hoped Nati didn’t jump from sickness to just-out-of-rehab with her assumptions. “It’s not catching, don’t worry. I’ll give you the whole story soon.”
“Oh. My. Smosh.” Nati had just noticed Dean. “And who are you?”
“D—”
“You little conster!” Nati interrupted, turning back at me with the slyest expression. Man, I didn’t realize how much I missed her, and this display of pure Nati was making me giggle. “Pretending like you’ve been off sick and coming back to school with a honey at your side? You’ve got some insane-level spillage to do!”
“I know. I’ll catch you all up soon. Cross my heart. Last period, chemistry?”
“It’s a date,” she grinned. “Are you around for good, new guy?”
Nati, you’ve no idea how complicated that question is, I thought. “Dean’s enrolled, will probably be here for a bit.”
“That’s bonkers!” she shouted. Dean and I looked at each other confused until she realized she should explain herself. “Two new guys in one week! The other guy, Ash, I have to say he’s easy on the libido as well. Oh, oh!”
She ducked in close to me and lifted her chin like a pointer to the corner of the red-brick building. “There he is, and he’s totally looking at you!”
I peeked over my shoulder, and saw him. An Asian boy with bleached white hair really was looking straight at me. He caught me looking and I averted my eyes, then looked at Dean who had his eyebrows very slightly raised. I shrugged. Not like I had control over who was looking at me.
“What is this? Livvy love week? Is it this new waif look you’re rocking that’s got the boys flocking?” Nati said with a little shimmy of her hips.
I was saved from any further embarrassment by the bell. I hugged Nati quickly and promised again to chat in chemistry.
“Your face is chemistry!” she yelled gleefully as we headed off different directions.
Dean and I headed to the office and dealt with both his introductions to the school and my recent absence from the school. My parents had sorted most of it out, there were just forms and timetables, homework and textbooks to pick up before getting to our classes. All of which had been arranged to be together. Which couldn’t have been easy. But Dad did a large share of volunteering for the school so he had favors he could call on. Dean got a photo taken for his student card and would have to pick it up in the afternoon.
He was looking unsure about the whole being-back-at-school thing. And I knew he was here mostly for my benefit, but I hoped he would get something out of it too. I mean, it was high school, but it was a good high school with some good kids and teachers I even liked, like Mr. Jones, who we had first up that morning for history.
As we walked into the class, Mr. Jones tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Glad you’re back. Was worried when you disappeared on us that night.”
“Sorry about that. I hope my parents explained everything.” I ducked past and took a seat near the middle of the room next to an empty desk for Dean. He paused to introduce himself to the teacher and hand over some paperwork. Before he could reach me and take that seat, Ash slipped right into it, grinning at me.
Dean had to take the seat directly behind me instead. It was still close enough to get a decent blocking effect, but I silently cursed Ash for meaning I couldn’t see Dean beside me.
He didn’t seem to notice, and still smiling, started talking in a strong Australian accent. “Hey, you new to this place too? I’m Ash.”
“Livvy,” I said, busy getting my textbooks in order. “Just been away for a while.”
“Yeah? Where to? On holiday?” His grin stayed large and his cheeriness levels were that of a kid’s TV host. He glowed sunshine yellow.
I rubbed my forehead and turned to the front of the classroom, trying to make a point of paying attention to Mr. Jones who had begun his lesson on the smart board. Something about an assassination causing World War I. I feel like I was behind on the details there. I glanced to the side and Ash was still staring at me, waiting for an answer.
“In hospital,” I hissed.
“Whoa! What happened?” He looked me up and down, seeking clues to my illness or injury. “Is it serious?”
I shot him a glare. Was he trying to get us both in trouble? Why so many questions? Maybe I could have avoided an interrogation if I’d lied and said it was holidays, but that wasn’t the plan. Stick to the script. Stay consistent. Or just avoid giving busy-bodies any unnecessary information entirely.
“I’m fine now. Shh.” Trying to get Ash to quiet down, I tilted my head to Mr. Jones who seemed to have noticed our conversation. I had my pen in hand, trying to take notes, but between Ash’s prying and the distracting buzz of emotions swarming through my body like angry ants, I was having trouble concentrating.
“You look knackered. Sure you’re not still feeling a bit off? Or is it because it’s so cold in here?” Ash continued looking straight at me. Like he was oblivious to the rest of the room. Or of me being annoyed at everyone pointing out I looked terrible. Or the increasingly bewildered teacher who stared right at him, tapping his foot.
“Ash Len,” Mr. Jones snapped. “Private conversations are for outside the classroom. If you feel the need to talk so much maybe you can go have a chat to the principal.”
“Sorry, Mr. Jones,” he said, his cheery grin still in place. “I’m just so excited to be in this new school, with so many interesting new people to meet.”
Giggles of confusion swept across the room, as though the class was unsure if this guy was trying to be a clown or not.
Mr. Jones also looked bewildered at Ash’s behavior. It seemed almost arrogant or cheeky, like the kind of person used to getting away with anything. His comment about it being cold popped back up in my memory’s ear. Huh. I narrowed my eyes, suspicions twitching.
Mr. Jones cleared his throat. “Well, some more interest in the le
sson would be appreciated.”
“Sure thing,” Ash said, turning himself around from where he sat sideways in his chair facing me, so he faced the front of class again, pen in hand, head down to take notes.
He didn’t talk to me again for the rest of the lesson, but every time I glanced across at him, he was also glancing right back at me. Grinning. Not taking any notes.
Continue reading Livvy and Dean’s story in Emotionally Unstable.
Copyright Information
Second Edition Ebook Published by Fairies and Fantasy Pty Ltd 2011
ISBN: 978-0-6485427-2-8
Emotionally Charged copyright © 2011 Selina Fenech
Cover illustration copyright © 2019 Selina Fenech
All rights reserved.
www.selinafenech.com