I forced a smile and shoved down my nerves. “I am too.” I wasn’t sure if my words were entirely truthful. I had too many questions left unanswered. Too “many what ifs” and “whys?”. Only time would tell if this really was the best decision for me.
#
I met Daniel as soon as I got back that afternoon. His father had done his best to reassure me that I had made the right choice, but I was still on edge. Having my best friend by my side was instantly calming.
“So a boarding school for psychics, huh? That’s awesome.” Daniel said with a grin.
I waved my hand and looked around the diner. “Shh, keep your voice down. You’re the only one who’s allowed to know about this. I can’t even tell Jessica,” I said. I had barely taken a bite of my mac and cheese; my stomach was tied in nervous knots.
Daniel’s expression sobered, and he nodded. “Well, it’s still cool.” He plucked a fry from his plate. “It’s going to be intense doing both though. Why didn’t you just let them take you out of classes? I mean, there’s only two weeks left anyway.”
I shook my head. “No. It’s a matter of pride. I want to graduate the same as everyone else. No matter what.”
Daniel chuckled. “I suppose I can agree with that.” He waved another fry at me before popping it into his mouth. “But I want to know everything and if there’s anything I can do to help you with exams or whatever. Just say the word.”
I smiled. He was always putting everyone else’s needs before his own. “Actually, there is something you can do,” I said and lowered my voice. “My powers are unpredictable and I still don’t have any answers. They only seem to activate when I’m stressed or upset, so if you wouldn’t mind keeping me grounded, that would be a big help.”
“Don’t I do that already?” Daniel grinned.
“True,” I said. “But this time it’s life or death.”
Daniel grinned wider. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He nudged my bowl towards me. “Now eat.”
CHAPTER NINE
I cut out of my last class early so I could meet Mr. Dolinsky and get a ride to the academy.
I told my mom I was studying with my friends. It hurt so much to lie, but the Major was right. I knew my mother better than anyone and I’d bet that if I told her I was off to train in a government facility for people with psychic powers, she’d probably call the doctor and the priest.
Mr. Dolinsky dropped me off at the door with a smile. “I’ll pick you up at seven,” He said.
I nodded and shouldered my backpack. At least I had Mr. Dolinsky and Daniel to help me through this mess. They were like my second family. “Thanks,” I said and waved as he drove away.
The car vanished in a ripple of light as it crossed the barrier. All this technology and magic was going to take a lot to get used to. Sure they said everything was rooted deeply in science, but it felt kinda magical to me at least.
“Good afternoon, Bianca.”
Ms. Blackwell met me in the lobby. She had her hands clasped behind her back. Her posture was flawless as usual.
“Hello,” I said meekly.
She turned on her stiletto heel without another word, leading me down the hallway.
The classrooms had groups of students in them. It seemed that nothing remarkable was happening inside when I glanced in the windows. They just looked like typical, bored students.
I followed Ms. Blackwell through the courtyard and into the large training facility. It was empty. The greenish accordion walls had been pushed aside, revealing how large it was; it must have been four times the size of the gymnasium at my high school.
Storage cubes lined the wall by the door. Ms. Blackwell opened the one closest to the door and pulled out a set of black gym clothes. “Here, change into these.” She gestured to the change rooms adjacent to us. “We don’t need your street clothes getting scuffed up.”
I swallowed hard. What exactly were we going to be doing on the first day that might ruin jeans? I decided not to ask and went to change instead.
The locker room was immaculate with bright lighting, gleaming floors, modern benches, and chrome lockers. It took my breath away. Before changing, I checked to see if the showers were equally as impressive, which they were. I was already looking forward to a hot shower in the marble stalls.
I shook myself to focus on the task at hand. I hadn’t brought anything with me, so there was no need for a lock. I made a mental note to get one next time anyway. I changed out of my jeans and t-shirt and into the black leggings and tank top that had been provided. I tied my sneakers back on tightly and looked at myself in the full-length mirror. It was the kind of mirror that would be great for taking selfies with, if I was allowed my phone, that is.
I mentally cursed myself for not remembering to bring a hair elastic. My long black hair hung down past my shoulders. I just knew it was going to be a nuisance during whatever physical drills that Ms. Blackwell had planned for me.
I took a long drink from the water fountain before returning to the training room. I was surprised to see that one of the accordion walls was shut to close off our space to a more reasonable square footage.
Ms. Blackwell was standing at the center of the room. She raised her hands in the air and suddenly gym equipment that was stacked against the wall rose up and arranged itself on the floor. Mats, weights, balance balls, and countless other things that I didn’t know the names of moved with a flick of her wrist.
“Wow, that’s amazing,” I said.
Ms. Blackwell looked over her shoulder at me and the corners of her mouth turned up ever so slightly. That was the most emotion I had seen in her so far. “Thank you,” She said. “With a little work and a lot of practice, one day I’m sure that telekinesis will be as second nature to you as it is to me.”
I felt the glow of admiration in my chest. “I hope so.”
Ms. Blackwell’s hands fell to her sides, and she turned to face me. Her indifferent expression had slid back into place. “Then, let’s begin.”
I stepped onto the mat, instantly feeling very nervous. I let out a long breath, letting my hands dangle at my sides. I still had no idea how to summon any powers without being an emotional wreck.
Ms. Blackwell waved her hand and a small rubber ball rose from the ground. It turned around and moved up and down before returning to the mat. She motioned for me to follow suit. “Go ahead, try to move the ball.”
I braced myself and held out my hand. I focused on the red rubber ball, just like I had done in the park with Daniel. I waited for the hum of energy, but none came. I sighed, shook out the tension in my shoulder and tried again. Nothing happened.
I groaned in frustration.
“Try again,” Ms. Blackwell said, not put off by my failure. “Using telekinesis is like exercising a muscle. It takes practice.”
I focused harder, reaching out to the ball and imagining picking it up. After a moment, I swore I saw it twitch just a fraction. My heart leaped up with hope. Almost there. I gritted my teeth and pushed my will towards the rubber ball.
The ball bounced up about a foot.
“Yes!” I shouted and the ball shot up into the air, bouncing off the ceiling and nearly hitting me in the head.
Ms. Blackwell caught the ball in midair. She sighed. “While you’re learning, I’d advise you to keep control of your emotions. You never know how objects might react. Telekinesis is an art.”
I blinked. Was that why she seemed so void of emotion all the time?
“Again.”
I nodded and focused my energy on the rubber ball. I used all my might to ignore everything else around me and try to lift the ball up from the mat. My fingers twitched as I pushed my energy towards the ball. The low hum filled my ears and the ball shot up to eye level. It hovered there for a moment.
I felt my control start to slip. I gritted my teeth and fought to keep my emotions in check. A bead of sweat trickled down the back of my neck. The tension cut and the ball fell to the ground.
Ms. Blackwell shook her head. “Be patient. You just discovered your powers a week ago. There is no shame in slow progress.”
I sighed and wiped the sweat from my neck. My arms were getting weak.
Ms. Blackwell clasped her hands behind her back. She was like a merciless drill sergeant. “Again.”
“Give me a sec, please.” I breathed.
“No.” Her voice was icy. “You need to learn how to control your powers or else you will be a danger to everyone around you. If you insist on living outside of the academy, we need to be sure that you won’t accidental hurt anyone.”
I threw up my arms in frustration. “I’m not trying to hurt anyone!” I snapped.
Suddenly, the balls and weights rose into the air and shot out in a sunburst around me and slammed into the walls.
Ms. Blackwell held up a hand, and the projectiles missed her entirely. If she hadn’t blocked them, a ten pound weight would have hit her right in the face. It fell with a thud at her feet.
My blood went cold. “Sorry.” My voice was tiny.
Ms. Blackwell ignored my apology, staying focused on the task at hand. “Again.”
#
When dinner time rolled around, I breathed a thankful prayer. Even after a hot shower, my body was aching and exhausted. My head was pounding. I had never been more hungry before in my life. Now I knew why Ryland and Luke had taken such massive portions at lunch.
I dragged myself to the cafeteria which was not nearly as full as it was last time I was there. It seemed there was no predetermined dinner time; most classes ended at four o’clock, so students wandered in whenever they wanted.
I glanced around but didn’t see anyone I knew. These private classes with Ms. Blackwell would only make my isolation worse. If I wanted to break out of the “new girl” label, I would need to make some friends fast.
After filling my plate with roasted chicken, salad, and potatoes, I lost my nerve to introduce myself and sat down alone. No one looked my way. I felt completely invisible.
A quick scan of the cafeteria allowed me to count less than half of the fifty students that were supposedly enrolled. This made the room seem huge, as it could easily seat one hundred people. A small group of jock-type guys were near the wall being loud and obnoxious. Not far from them was a pair of girls who had changed from their black utilitarian clothing into pink dresses.
I looked down at my food and noticed a black mark on the white table. I ran my finger up and down it. It looked like it had been scorched by fire. I shook my curiosity away and ate, mindlessly fading in and out of thoughts. I really wished I could have my phone now; although, like Major Griffiths said, electronics seemed to be unpredictable around psychic energy.
I looked up when I heard someone’s heavy boots stop beside me. An African-American girl about my age looked down at me. Her dreadlocks were red and black and bundled in a messy bun on top of her head. She wore horn-rimmed glasses and her eyes were dark brown. She had high cheekbones and full lips. She was, in a word, beautiful. Beautiful and intimidating.
I knew that look. “Oh, sorry, is this your seat?”
“Technically, no.” She said.
I attempted to get up anyway, but she waved me back down.
“It’s a free country. You can sit there.” The girl said dismissively and sat down in front of me. She had a plate of vegan enchiladas.
“Alright.” I didn’t argue. I pushed my uneaten potatoes around on my plate before getting the nerve to speak again. “I’m Bianca Hernandez.”
The girl raised her perfectly micro-bladed eyebrows.
I knew that look; I got it all the time. Thankfully, she spared me the usual comment of “you don’t look Latino?!” and I didn’t have to explain my life’s story.
“Phylicia Booker,” She said with a smile. “Nice to meet you.” She paused to take a sip of water. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before. You must be the new girl?”
I nodded. “Yeah, so it seems.” I laughed. She made me feel comfortable. Her voice was kind and warm; it didn’t at all match her outward tough-girl appearance. She was fit and muscular, but not in a bulky way and, if I had to guess, she was probably almost six feet tall. She looked like a professional athlete.
Phylicia’s smile widened. “Ah, I know that look. Not settling in as well as you thought? Don’t worry! It happens to the best of us. Especially if you don’t exactly fit in with their standards.”
“Standards?”
The girl lifted a finger and a small burst of fire appeared. She waved her hand, and the flame vanished in a puff of white smoke and heat.
“Whoa, that’s amazing!” I gasped.
“I’m glad you think so,” Phylicia said. “I’m the only one on this campus that’s pyrokinetic. It’s a rare talent that just so happens to run in my family.” She shrugged as if being able to produce a flame out of midair was no big deal.
“Everything is amazing to me here.” I admitted.
Phylicia nodded. “I heard rumors that you were raised without a psychic parent.”
“News sure travels fast around here,” I muttered.
Phylicia laughed and her gold earrings jingled. “Ain’t that the truth!”
I looked up just as a man walked into the cafeteria. He looked to be in his late-thirties and the kind of guy I’d break my “I’m not really into older men” rule for in a heartbeat. His black hair was swept back, showing just hints of gray at his temples. His beard was cut short and neat. He was tall with broad shoulders and his well-tailored suit only emphasized his fit physique.
Phylicia noticed my jaw go slack and looked in his direction. “Ah, that’s Professor Turner.” She said with a smile. “He’s one sexy dude. But don’t bother. Even though you’re legal, he’s not that kind of teacher.”
I feigned shock. “I wasn’t thinking like that.” I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks and it wasn’t from Phylicia’s fire abilities.
Phylicia raised her eyebrows. “Honey, I know that look. It’s hot enough to almost start a fire, but not quite.” She winked at me and drummed her fingers on the table.
I watched a flame bounce across her knuckles before vanishing in a puff of smoke. When I looked back up to catch another scintillating glance at Professor Sexy — I mean Professor Turner, he was gone.
#
I held out my hands and exhaled. With a twitch of my fingers, the five-pound weights rose from the ground and slid onto the shelves effortlessly with a thunk.
“Excellent work, Bianca.” Ms. Blackwell said.
A few days of grueling training had brought me surprisingly quick results. I was far from perfect, but at least I could move small items on demand now. I could control my emotional responses. Bursts of anger, frustration, or fear seemed to be the ones that were most likely to trigger a “psychic spasm” as I had come to label it.
We both looked to the door as it creaked open. Luke was standing there in black gym clothes. “Ah, sorry, I hadn’t realized this room was being used.”
Ms. Blackwell waved her hand dismissively. “It’s fine Mr. Herrington,” She said. “We were just about to take a break.” She excused herself from the room.
I plunked down on a bench and took a drink of water. Using my powers drained me, but it wasn’t as bad as it was before training. At least I didn’t faint from moving these small objects around.
Luke stopped halfway between me and the accordion wall. “So, how’s training?” He asked.
I shrugged. “Tough,” I admitted. “But worth it.”
Luke nodded. “Ms. Blackwell will run you ragged, but, believe me, she’s the best professor this academy has.”
I nodded and glanced at the clock. It was past five. “I know it’s none of my business, but what are you doing here after hours?”
Luke laughed. “I come to do extra training,” He said with a shrug. “My last class is so boring. I come here to burn
off energy.”
“I barely have enough energy to walk after a training session,” I admitted.
“Same. Let me tell you one thing: it never gets easier. You just get better.” Luke flashed me a brilliant smile and I melted a little inside. He sat down beside me on the bench.
I hadn’t realized I was staring at him like an idiot until he spoke again to break the silence.
“Come to think of it I haven’t seen you in any lectures.” He tipped his head to the side.
It was then that I realized how close he was to me. I shook myself out of the trance, but didn’t move away. His warmth was comforting.
“Yeah, I’ve been working with Ms. Blackwell to get a hold of my powers. Once I graduate high school, I’ll be here full time,” I said. It didn’t even sound real when I said it. Less than two weeks left of school and then I’d be here training with the rest of them.
“How are your telekinetic skills coming along?” He asked.
I shrugged. “Ok, I guess. There’s a steep learning curve.”
Luke laughed out loud. “You’re telling me! When my powers first manifested, I’d disappear randomly whenever I got nervous. The first time it was just from my house to my neighbor’s yard. But the second time, I popped right out of a classroom in my high school and ended up on top of a building downtown. That’s when I got help.”
I sucked in a breath. “That must have been terrifying.”
Luke shrugged. “It was at the time, but now I just laugh about it,” He said. “Pretty much everyone has a funny story about their first time.”
I smiled and looked at my shoes. Luke made me feel so comfortable. He was sweet, funny, and good-looking. His honey brown eyes lit up whenever he laughed. The positive vibes that radiated from him were almost addictive. I wanted to kiss him.
The door opened and cut off my thoughts. To my surprise, it wasn’t Ms. Blackwell, it was Ryland.
“Ah, Luke, I was hoping you’d be here. Up for a little bit of sparring?” Ryland asked. He was also dressed in gym clothes.
Luke tensed up beside me and jumped off the bench. “Always.”
Psychic Secret: An Urban Fantasy Academy Romance (Psychic Academy Book 1) Page 6