“Except you reverse the direction of the object,” Calla added softly.
“I thought most spirits weren’t very good at telekinetics.”
“This is different,” Jack said. ”You’re using the force the object has already generated to divert it. That’s much easier—”
“Than moving the object all by yourself,” Calla finished.
“Do you two always finish each other’s sentences?”
“Typically.” Jack tried to lean against the table smoothly but he accidentally slipped. Alex tried to hide her smile.
“Twin complex,” Calla muttered. “When he falls, I bleed, and vice versa.”
She didn’t seem pleased about this.
“Even when we died, it was the same way,” Jack shook his head of matted gray-brown hair. “I had a brain tumor, and when I died, Calla died with me, even though she had no symptoms.”
Calla lifted a finger to her forehead. “He has too much up here.”
Alex was confused until Jack snickered. “A brain tumor has nothing to do with an excess of brain power.”
“So were you a genius in life, too?” Alex asked.
“I was probably headed to an Ivy League school.”
“Lots of people do that.”
“At sixteen,” he added.
“Oh.”
Jack’s grin accentuated the puffy half-moons under his eyes.
“You look tired. Must be from staying up late and memorizing books.”
Jack vigorously shook his head back and forth, trying to wake up. “I know we need an adequate amount of sleep, but my mind just feels like it’s moving so quickly. I can’t sleep.”
“And therefore, I’m tired,” Calla growled.
“It can’t be fun being in each other’s heads,” Alex said, glancing over at the Lasalles. Kaleb was firing orbs at a disgruntled-looking Jonas. She could hear Chase’s pity for his brother.
“Quit staring at your boyfriend,” Jack joked.
Alex wasn’t quite sure who he meant.
“Did I say something wrong?”
“You’re always saying the wrong thing,” Calla accused him.
“Am not.”
“Are so.”
Alex held up her hands. “No. I’m just not sure who you’re talking about.”
“Jonas. You’re with him all the time, aren’t you? I notice things.”
“Jonas isn’t my boyfriend.”
“Oh?”
“No.”
An orb flew across the room and slammed into Jack’s back. He ignored it and kept his eyes on the text. Calla lifted an arm to rub between her shoulders “Ouch.”
“Why do you let people treat you that way?”
Jack shrugged carelessly. “I guess we’re just used to it.”
“That doesn’t make it better!”
“Heavy lies the head,” Jack murmured. Calla nodded, fiddling with her sweater. “We have more important things to worry about than people teasing us. They’ll learn their lesson one day. Calla’s and my luck will change. We’re good people. And good things happen to good people. Even if we don’t stay here in this city.”
“You’d leave?”
“It isn’t written in stone that we have to live here.” Jack paused with his mouth ajar, revealing his horsey teeth. “Let’s try flickering.”
“What’s that?”
“Flickering,” he read, “is when a spirit momentarily flickers out of visibility. Why do you look confused?”
Alex studied the text. “I know the bodied can’t see us, but how can spirits hide from one another?”
“If we aren’t looking for each other, it’s possible to fool the mind, if only for a few seconds. You just have to move yourself to a different place. Give it a try.”
Embarrassed, Alex glanced around the room at the other students.
“What’s the matter?” Jack asked. Realization spread across his face. “Oh, I’m sorry.” He smacked himself. “You don’t know how, do you? No sweat, it’s one of the simplest things to learn. Just imagine yourself shrinking in all directions.”
Calla jumped in. “Like a genie being sucked into a lamp.”
“Except you’re condensing yourself into a ball in midair. Then quickly move to a space you don’t think I’ll look for you.”
Alex closed her eyes and imagined that the walls around her were closing in, the air constricting her. Nothing happened.
“You forgot to move. And keep your eyes open so you know where you’re going.”
She focused on the corner of the Grandiuse right next to Westfall. Jack wouldn’t expect her to venture anywhere near a man who had just ordered an attack on her.
She heard a tiny gazump like sealing Tupperware. She blinked, and she was completely across the room.
“Wow,” Jack yelled. “That didn’t take you very long at all.”
Alex practically danced back to their table. “Could you see anything?”
“Right before you moved, I noticed your light.”
“What does it look like?”
He considered his answer for several moments. “It’s never still. Like the reflection of the moon over the ocean.”
Calla nodded. “It’s pretty.”
“Could the bodied see it?”
“Rarely. But it has happened.” Jack flipped through the text. “I think that’s why sometimes the bodied think we aren’t in a whole form, why they think that we’re hazy or we flicker.”
Chase appeared beside her. He turned his head and kissed her cheek before disappearing again. Jack and Calla both stared at Alex, openmouthed.
Alex hoped she wasn’t blushing. “This is pretty cool. Thank you so much, you two.”
Calla looked away. She’d probably never been complimented in her life. Jack grinned, exposing his large teeth.
“I can’t believe something like this is possible,” Alex breathed.
“Why wouldn’t it be?” a voice barked.
“Hello, Ardor Westfall,” Jack said, saluting.
“After all, all you are is a projection. A memory,” Westfall said, crossing his arms. “And memories never stay in one place.”
Kaleb was always suspicious of Jonas. He loved his brother, of course. He loved all of them, but the others made it easier than Jonas did. Jonas was sneaky. Kaleb was certain he would stab any of them in the back in order to make himself look good.
He drummed his pencil on the table and glanced at the door, but the rest of his clan had yet to arrive. Despite its old-fashioned exterior, the Ex House on Lazuli Street was relatively modern. Its thick wooden tables and armchairs deep enough to sink into resembled a coffee house. They served flavors of the misty froth passed around during festival street parties. The newburies around here called it the Ex drink. Every cup displayed a blurb explaining the history of the mist and its creator, Xander Aris, but Kaleb didn’t care enough to read it. He liked to have it, though, because it provided a brief buzz like a shot of some super energy drink.
Usually Kaleb hung out in the Back Room of the Ex House, an area much louder and rowdier, with pool tables, foosball and ping pong. But today he had work to do. Instrumental music drifted through the more studious front half of the bar. The little black notes rose to the ceiling and arranged themselves into a life-sized sheet of music. He didn’t know how, but his mind told him it was called Vivaldi. He’d never admit it to anyone, but he actually liked it. Kind of.
It was easy to distinguish the various newbury cliques. The legacies typically loitered in the Back Room, competing to see who could hold their nose the highest. Tonight, they’d arrived without Skye Gossamer, so Kaleb didn’t give them a second glance. She was the only one worth staring at. Then there were the movers, whose belongings hovered around them like flies. The chokers sulked in the corners reading Poe or Emily Dickinson. You’re dead, he always wanted to shout, get over it! The crew of “earthly” newburies showed avid interest in stones, plants, and herbs. Naturally, they faithfully followed Professor D
uvall. Kaleb hated teacher’s pets.
Tonight there were a few random spirits, like Hecker Smithson, who took up more room than a pro lineman and never spoke to anyone, or Reuben Seyferr, who was always itching like he had fleas. Kaleb had waved to both when he arrived. The Lasalles—as they had done in life—discriminated against none, but befriended few. Kaleb had learned a long time ago that trust was not something to hand out like candy, but friendliness went a long way.
Jonas was the first to show his ugly mug. He stood at the serving station with one foot propped leisurely behind the other, leaning against the counter of the bar like a wannabe cowboy watching the door. Probably waiting for Alex. Pitiful. Jonas didn’t seem to realize that his fifteen minutes with her were over. Chase was back, and things were normal again.
Jonas always went after things he couldn’t have. And then he got pissed when he didn’t come out on top. Impossible odds.
When Alex predictably arrived with Chase, Jonas turned around and pretended he hadn’t been waiting. Kaleb shook his head in amusement. Jonas was wasting his time. Alex and Chase had been attached at the hip since they were born. In life, Kaleb would sometimes enter a room and wonder how in the middle of winter it could possibly smell like spring. Then he’d hear giggling and look down to find the two of them playing together. That strange feeling in the air, it had to be love. It followed them now like a trail. He thought of those two as one entity. Before Alex died, Kaleb would look into Chase’s eyes and his brother would not be there. Some part of him was missing. She was that part of him. How the hell could Jonas not see that?
Kaleb wasn’t sure he believed in love. But he believed in whatever hovered between Chase and Alex.
Jonas turned and acknowledged Alex, a dowdy straw dangling from his mouth. None of them noticed Kaleb sitting behind a computer.
The barista appeared. “What will it be?”
“Want anything?” Jonas asked Alex, but she shook her head. “What about you, delinquent?”
Chase stepped up to the counter and surveyed his options. Jonas waited, resting an elbow on Alex’s shoulder and flicking the straw in her hair.
“Cut it out,” she said, swatting him away.
“Did you have fun trying to beat the crap out of Jack Bond? I know I would.”
“I thought you didn’t mind Jack.”
Jonas shrugged indifferently. He was trying to act cool, but he just looked dumb. Kaleb snorted loudly, and they all turned to see him.
Alex drew back her head slightly. “Kaleb! I’ve never seen you look so serious!”
He winked at her, and she walked around the table to sit next to him. “You’re going to scare all my admirers away,” he joked.
“I don’t think any of your admirers have ever been intimidated by me.”
It was true. Alex was a good wingman, actually. He wouldn’t have put up with her for so many years if she wasn’t.
“What are you wearing that for?” she exclaimed in surprise.
“What?”
She picked at his shirt. His mind projected a jersey each day by default. He typically didn’t question it because it didn’t bother him. Now, however, he looked down and realized why Alex was wrinkling her nose.
“You hate that team,” she said as if he didn’t know.
“I have no clue why I have it on. Maybe because I hate doing homework.”
“What are you up to?”
“History research for Paleo. It sounds very high school, but it isn’t so bad.” He twisted his head left to right and then leaned in close. “Don’t tell anyone, but research doesn’t make me want to slit my throat anymore.”
“Now that you finally have a brain.”
“My sentiments exactly.”
Alex stared at his paper. “Josephine Anovark,” she read. “Eighteen forty-nine to eighteen sixty-five to nineteen-oh-one.”
“It’s odd to have two death dates, huh?”
“She didn’t last very long. Who was she?”
Kaleb held up his notebook. “We were supposed to focus on the advancements within a particular time period, not the people, but I couldn't help myself. This chick was everywhere. She was the first advisor for the DeLyres and some sort of celebrity.”
“DeLyres?” Alex perked up. “I’ve heard of them. Who are they?”
She was joking, right? He studied her face. Nope, not joking. “You know … like our Chancellor?”
“Who?”
“The Chancellor basically runs the city, Alex. He’s in charge around here. You’ve been here a few months. You should know these things by now.”
Her Intro teacher must be slacking. She probably got stuck with Van Hanlin.
“You haven’t heard of someone named Eviar, have you?”
“Eviar?” Sounded like a brand of bottled water. “No.”
Disappointment clouded her face. “So the DeLyres are in charge, but this girl helped them?”
He nodded. “Actually, she even ran away with one of them. Except their little union didn’t last long because some lunatic named Syrus Raive hunted her down and killed her.”
“Why?”
“I think he was pretty irritated that she destroyed his side of the war.”
“And he killed her?”
He nodded. “Totally slaughtered. I’ll have to thank Paleo for assigning me a time period with such heartwarming stories.”
He was actually pleased that this project hadn't been a snore. The spirited world treated this girl like some sort of second coming.
Jonas and Chase arrived with steaming mugs. Jonas wore his typical peeved expression, and Chase seemed bemused. All was right with the world.
Alex lifted her bag and took out a text the size of a phone book. Because spirits could read so efficiently, the teachers assigned hundreds of pages to read for homework. He didn’t envy her right now.
“I still need to do that, too.” Chase sighed. “I usually like Van Hanlin’s law class, but amendments to transportation laws are just boring.” He opened his own law book. “Maybe I’ll just get that out of the way now. Let me know if you need help with it.”
“Or you could just do it and I’ll copy.” Alex suggested.
“Oh, may I please?” Chase turned to Jonas and reached for his notebook. “Can I borrow some paper?”
“No.” Jonas snatched the notebook and stuffed it in his bag.
Kaleb narrowed his eyes at his brother. “What’s your—”
“Here,” Alex said quickly, handing Chase several sheets. “Gabe gave me some earlier.”
“Where is he?” Kaleb asked. Gabe would be so proud of him for being interested in history, and he wasn’t even here to witness it. What a waste.
“He isn’t coming,” Alex replied. “Romey came to see him at the fields last night. He has to play watchdog for the front desk.”
Jonas began to gather his things feverishly. What was he up to?
“I forgot I need to go to the Grandiuse and check out some books.” Jonas scooped up his pile of belongings.
The only person less likely than Kaleb to check out books would be Jonas. Kaleb didn’t believe him for a second.
“Don’t you want your drink?” Alex asked.
“You can have it,” he said quickly. His sports gear spilled over the armload of books.
And now he was giving things out? Something was definitely up.
“That was strange,” Chase murmured after Jonas disappeared.
Kaleb nodded. “What’s in that drink of his? Hand me that,” he said to Alex.
She adjusted her seat to reach for the abandoned drink, and the leg of the chair caught on a backpack Jonas had forgotten in all his hurry. When Kaleb reached down to dislodge it from the chair, flower petals fluttered to the ground.
He made eye contact with Alex. Flower petals? Alex shrugged in response and held up the bag. There, condensed together snug as pickles in a jar, were dozens of yellow flowers.
Were these for Alex? She certainly wouldn’t admit
it if they were. That girl could be so damn naive. Jonas could march into the Ex House wearing an I Heart Alex sandwich board and she would still deny his feelings.
The thing was, though, even if Chase saw the flowers, he wouldn’t do anything about it either. Hell, he would probably watch Jonas get down on his knees and give them to Alex and still keep his mouth shut. Kaleb didn’t understand it at all. Either Chase felt guilty, or he knew that never in a million years would Alex pick Jonas over him. This was exactly why Kaleb didn’t keep one girl around too long.
He watched Alex quickly close the bag, but not before the stench of moldy, wet dog reached his nostrils. He stifled a gag and swatted in front of his nose.
“Back so soon?” Chase called over the ruckus.
Jonas was pushing through the crowd again. Alex kicked the bag further away. It fell to the side, exposing a warped, brown water ring. She was a better person than Kaleb was. He wanted to call Jonas out on the flowers. Embarrass him. Knock him down a few pegs.
Jonas dashed through the maze of tables, his eyes bugged wide until he saw that his bag was lying on the floor, seemingly untouched. He breathlessly pointed to his property. “Oh good. I did leave it here. Can you hand my bag to me?”
When Chase passed it to him over the computer, Kaleb couldn’t help himself.
“You’re looking a bit yellow, brother.”
Jonas clutched his bag snugly against himself. “Huh?”
Alex smacked Kaleb across the chest, and he turned to smile mischievously at her. “Where are you going again?”
“The Grandiuse.”
“Back-petaling, are you?”
Jonas turned his heel. He didn’t get the joke. Moron.
Kaleb returned to his assignment and worked quietly for several minutes until something caught his eye. Parrish Park. The words were there on the page like old friends, waving and smiling. He kept reading. Civil War. Soldiers. Cove.
He shot back in his chair. “Holy—”
“Kaleb!” Alex cut him off. He fought the urge to say the word just to spite her. They weren’t sitting in church or anything.
“Things just got weird. This girl.” Kaleb pointed to the computer. “Guess where she died?”
Alex shrugged.
“Take a wild guess.”
Chase stretched his body around Alex to get a look at the monitor.
Of Breakable Things Page 18