Think twice, p.13
Think Twice, page 13
part #1 of Don't Even Think About It Series
“I can’t!” She looked up at Tess with red-rimmed eyes. “Do you think Mackenzie and Cooper are going to get back together? Tell me the truth.”
Tess’s voice softened. “Olivia, they’re just friends. And right now he’s worried about her, and she’s worried about him, too. That’s what friends do. They care. Sure, sometimes Mackenzie thinks about the past, but that’s about it.”
“But I heard them!” Olivia burst out. “They miss each other!” He’s probably thinking about her right now. Let me see. No. He’s still asleep. What if he’s dreaming about her? I wish I could see inside his dreams.
“Olivia,” Tess said forcefully. “You’re acting crazy.”
“I’m not crazy, I’m worried! Come on, be honest. Are you saying you never worry about BJ? Wasn’t he joking about me being naked last night when he was with you?”
Olivia spied on her, too? The girl was really losing her mind. “We don’t have that kind of relationship,” Tess said, checking her phone. “I trust him completely.” Although it would be nice if he called her back.
Do you want me to listen in on him?
“No! I’ll see him soon.” She sighed. “He knows we’re meeting. He’s going to be mad that you know.”
“So don’t tell him,” Olivia said. “Tell him I didn’t show up.”
Tess’s eyes widened. “You mean lie? I can’t do that. I’ve never lied to him before, and I’m not going to start now.” Her phone buzzed. Finally, she thought. Then, “Crap. He’s here. I don’t want him to see you. He’ll know right away that you know.”
“No, he won’t,” Olivia reminded her. “Not if you don’t tell him.”
“He’s thought-deaf, Olivia, not stupid. He’ll know you read my mind.”
BJ walked in to the cafeteria, saw Olivia, and scowled. “I guess she knows,” he said, slumping into the chair next to Tess.
“It sucks,” Olivia said.
He glared at Tess. “Have you been talking about me the whole time?”
“No, I mean yes. I mean—”
“Yeah, whatever. Like you said, they’re going to find out anyway.”
“This is true,” Olivia said, nodding. He looks devastated.
He’s not handling this at all, Tess thought.
“Stop it!” BJ said. “I know you’re thinking about me!”
Tess put her arm around him. “I can’t help it if she heard me thinking, BJ. But we weren’t saying anything, I promise.”
And then she froze. There it is. My first lie.
Actually, her first lie was when she told him that everything would be all right. We all know what they say about lying.
It’s a slippery slope.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
A Pocketful of Posies
BJ had lost his telepathy and nobody had told Pi.
Nobody.
She’d walked into homeroom completely clueless and had to hear it from Courtney, who’d heard it from Sadie, who’d heard it from Tess.
What kind of bullshit was that?
“You were supposed to text me immediately!” she yelled at him, shoving her finger in his face.
“Well, that didn’t take long,” he said, dropping into his chair.
“Of course it didn’t take long! There are no secrets!”
He shrugged. “It just happened last night. Get over yourself.”
He’s pissed.
So pissed.
Wouldn’t you be?
“Is everyone talking about me?” he asked Tess.
She froze. “Um...”
“What are they saying?”
“Nothing important.”
He scowled. “Maybe I should switch homerooms.”
“Don’t you dare switch homerooms!” Pi said. “Do you want everyone finding out we’re losing our powers? Have your eyes turned back yet?”
It took about twenty-four hours for our eyes to return to normal.
“Do I look like I care?”
“I do!” Courtney exclaimed. “I have endorsement deals!”
He better wear colored contacts.
Jordana gasped. “I’ll have to take finals!”
“I repeat,” BJ said, “do I look like I care?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Pi reasoned. “They’ll never let him switch so close to graduation.”
“Let him switch what?” asked Mr. Jonas, who’d just entered the room.
“Toothbrushes,” Levi said. “He has to switch toothbrushes.”
Toothbrushes? Isaac thought. Really?
They’re worried about toothbrushes? thought Mr. Jonas. You know what? I don’t want to know. Who knows what goes on in their weird minds? Then he remembered he wasn’t wearing his sunglasses. He pushed them onto his face and started writing on the whiteboard.
We need to discuss this further, Pi thought. Bring your lunches to the courtyard. We’ll meet there just after 1 p.m.
Can we meet at 1:20? Levi asked. The pizza line is really long.
So buy a yogurt instead.
I can’t make it, Sadie thought. I’m meeting Michael for lunch.
DUMBO!
Stop calling him that!
Has he ever thought about getting his ears tacked?
“Guys?” BJ asked, looking from person to person. “What’s happening?”
Tess jabbed him in the side. Shh! Mr. Jonas can hear you! He’ll know you lost your ESP! Then she remembered that BJ couldn’t hear her or anyone else, which was why they were having this discussion in the first place.
Right, Pi thought. The thought-deaf ones. I’ll shoot them an email. They can come if they want. Not that it’ll do them any good.
Don’t forget Mackenzie, Cooper thought. She’s at the hospital, but maybe she’ll come back for the meeting.
Mackenzie, Mackenzie, Mackenzie, thought Olivia.
Cooper shot her a look.
Meeting in the courtyard at lunch, Pi group-texted. She looked up at Sadie, then added: Mandatory. Dumbo will have to wait.
* * *
“Please remove your sunglasses,” Pi said to Edward. “You know the rules. No sunglasses among Espies.”
“Since when?” he asked.
“Since now,” she answered.
“But it’s bright out here!” he complained.
And it was. It was a beautiful sunny day in May. Birds were chirping, trees were budding, the sky was clear.
And we were miserable. Another Espie was down. We wondered who would be next.
We were sitting in a circle in the courtyard behind the school. All around us, people were staring.
They’re having a séance, someone thought.
Maybe it’s a witches’ coven, thought someone else.
Let’s get the hell out of here!
In seconds, the courtyard was cleared of all non-Espies.
“They act like we have the plague,” Edward said.
“We kind of do,” Brinn mumbled. “We’re all falling down, like in that nursery rhyme, ‘Ring Around the Rosie’? It’s about the Black Death, in case you didn’t know. ‘Ashes, ashes, we all fall down.’”
We all stared at her. She’s so weird, Courtney thought.
I hope it’s not contagious.
Being weird?
No, moron. Losing our ESP.
Olivia’s heart was racing. I don’t want to be next, I don’t want to be next, I don’t want to be next… She tried to swallow, but her throat was blocked. She felt sick to her stomach. I can’t deal with that. I just can’t.
“Olivia, are you okay?” Tess asked.
She doesn’t look okay.
She looks like she’s going to pass out.
Remember when she passed out in speech class?
“She did?” Mona asked.
“The first day she got telepathy,” Mars said.
“Maybe she’s doing it in reverse,” Isaac said. “Maybe she’s going to pass out and then lose it.”
Noooooooo! “I’m not losing it!” Olivia cried. “I’m not!”
“She needs some air,” Levi said.
“We’re outside,” Tess said, rolling her eyes.
Olivia took a few calming breaths. “Maybe it’s time we went to Dr. Dail.” Yes. That’s what we have to do. We can’t just sit around and wait for it to go.
Pi frowned. “We’ve already been through this. We’re not telling anyone.”
“You told Jon,” Courtney reminded her.
“That was different. He’s a friend.”
Really? When’s the last time you spoke to him?
That romance sure got nipped in the bud.
Pi turned bright red.
Oh, look! She blushes! She’s human!
“Maybe you should talk to him again,” Sadie suggested. “We need help. What harm could it do?”
“We can do this on our own.” Pi said, her voice tight. “Forget about Jon.”
She should call him. They’d make a good couple.
Their kids would be little Einsteins.
Dorky little Einsteins.
Pi couldn’t help herself. He’s not a dork. He plays guitar!
She so likes him.
Cheeks on fire, Pi decided to change the subject. “Where is everyone? Didn’t I say this meeting was mandatory?”
“Mackenzie’s still at the hospital,” Tess said. “She texted me to say she’s not coming.”
How is she? Cooper thought. How’s her mom?
Her mother’s doing great. But Mackenzie is still worried, of course.
Is she still hanging out with that guy? Isaac wondered. Bennett? He was cute.
He’s a douche, Cooper thought.
Olivia scowled. “Can we please stay on topic?”
Wow. She’s really worried about Mackenzie and Cooper.
I can’t believe she talked to Tess about it… What does Mackenzie think?... I think she wants him back… I think he wants HER back… Who?... Mackenzie!... Poor Olivia… She’s really stressed… I bet she faints...
Olivia started humming loudly.
“I don’t like Mackenzie!” Cooper yelled.
Well, this isn’t awkward, Tess thought.
“I’m here!” Jordana called out, waving her freshly painted nails and running toward them. “Did I miss anything?”
Courtney had thought-commanded her to go back for a bottle of water. These days, she commanded her to do a lot of things, like tidying Courtney’s locker, or doing her homework. Apparently, the weaker-minded the person, the more susceptible she was to suggestion. Half the time, Jordana walked around looking like a zombie. And the best part was that she didn’t remember a thing.
Most of us were disgusted.
The twins wanted to switch into Courtney’s group.
“We haven’t started yet,” Pi told Jordana. “Sit down.”
Sit over by the tree, Courtney ordered. Oh, and give me my water.
Jordana sat down next to the tall oak tree. Then she got up again to give Courtney the bottle. Then she just stood there, blinking.
“Where’s BJ?” Isaac asked. Tess, is he not coming?
“I don’t know,” Tess said. “He keeps changing his mind.” He’s barely spoken to me all morning.
“I’m here, I’m here,” he said, just now coming into the courtyard. Don’t ask me why. Anojah and Nick didn’t come. Why am I even bothering?
Beats me, Pi thought.
“Because you want your ESP back,” Tess said, trying to sound cheerful. And I want the old BJ back.
Typical. He can’t stand it that his girlfriend is stronger than he is.
That’s not it at all. ESP was their thing. Now their relationship is based on nothing.
What about sex?
They did have a lot of sex.
Now it’s all they’ll have.
Tess glared. Can you guys shut the hell up?
BJ looked around. “I suppose they’re all talking about me.”
“We’re not talking about you,” Mona said. “We’re talking about your relationship with Tess.”
“Super,” he deadpanned.
Rather than squeezing next to Tess, BJ sat down next to Cooper. On BJ’s left, Brinn was eating a banana.
Tess’s heart sank. He won’t even sit next to me. Why is he acting like this? It’s not my fault he lost his ESP!
“Okay, then,” Pi said. “Let’s get started.” She took out her iPad. “Everyone taking DHA please raise your hand.”
What, this again? Tess thought.
Seriously? Mars thought.
Whatever, BJ thought.
The three of them raised their hands.
Pi nodded. “Like we discussed, whenever someone loses their ESP, the rest of the group will be absorbed somewhere else, since we know whatever you’re taking won’t save your telepathy. Mars and Tess, you will stop taking the DHA immediately. You’ll take something else instead. BJ, you can do whatever you want.”
“Can I take lutein?” Mars asked. I want to be with Mona!
“Don’t take lutein,” Mona said, suddenly panicked. He can’t take it!
“Why not?” Mars asked suspiciously.
“Um, it turns your pee orange?” Yup, yup, orange, orange, orange.
It does not turn your pee orange, Isaac thought. My pee is yellow. You’ve been eating too many carrots.
Mona groaned. Great. He’s going to start monitoring me nonstop.
Mars looked deflated. I thought you wanted us to be together.
I do! Just not all the time.
I promise I won’t listen in on you. But I still want to do long distance.
“All right, then,” Pi said, making a note in her iPad. “Mars, you’re now in Group 3.”
Yes! he thought.
Mona bit her lower lip. This is going to be an issue.
“What about you, Tess?” Pi asked.
Our group is the most fun, Isaac thought. Pick us! Pick us!
If she really loved me, BJ thought, she’d take the antidote and give it up entirely.
Tess nearly choked on her egg salad. He wants me to give it up? He can’t be serious. Can he?
She looked at his angry face. “Put me wherever you want,” she told Pi. “It makes no difference to me.” Can you put me in Group 6? That’s the brain one where you get to plant suggestions, right? Maybe I can push some sense into BJ.
“Got it,” Pi said, making another note.
“I can’t believe you thought that!” BJ exclaimed. “You are so two-faced!”
Tess gasped. How…?
Cooper sighed. “Sorry. I think I relayed what you thought.”
“Look, just stop thinking about me, okay?” BJ practically yelled.
“I’m not!” Tess retorted.
We all are, Cooper thought. Oops. I did it again.
“What about you, BJ?” Pi asked. “Care to try something else?” Nothing can help him now.
“I’ll just stick with the wine, thank you very much.”
“Well, I guess that does it,” Pi said, putting down her iPad. “I’ll email everyone with the updated spreadsheet. Things should get back to normal.”
We all snorted. Normal?
Olivia was disintegrating, BJ was furious at Tess, Mona was mad at Mars, and Courtney had become a dictator.
Plus, we’d lost another Espie.
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Love Bites
Mackenzie hadn’t checked her phone for hours. After she left her mother’s room and went to the hospital’s solarium, she discovered she had two messages. The first was from Pi with a new spreadsheet:
She thought about what it would be like to lose her ESP. Truth was, sometimes telepathy seemed a lot more trouble than it was worth.
Yesterday had been amazing when her mother woke up. She still had the tracheostomy tube, so she couldn’t speak, and she’d been groggy and disoriented from all the medication, but she was going to be fine. Mackenzie felt like a weight had been taken off her shoulders.
But then she heard her mother think, I should write a new will. I want him to remarry if I die.
“Mom, you don’t need to make a new will,” Mackenzie said, choking up. “And he’s not getting remarried. Do you think I want a stepmother? Are you crazy?”
Her mother glared at Mackenzie and then started sputtering for breath.
Cailin gasped. “Omigod! Mackenzie! Shut up! Stop listening to her! She doesn’t like it!”
“I’m sorry, Mom! I’m sorry! I won’t listen! I promise!”
She’s such a screw-up, Cailin thought.
Her mother started breathing normally, but then made sure her eyes were mostly closed whenever Mackenzie was in the room.
Which is why Mackenzie had started hanging out in the solarium.
The second text was from Bennett: What are you doing tonight?
I’m at the hospital, she answered.
Tomorrow? he texted back.
She felt a little irritated. Her mother had just had surgery, and he hadn’t even asked how she was. Could he not be a tad more sensitive?
He sure seemed eager. Funny how the tables had turned. She’d worshipped him when she was a freshman, but he’d always blown her off. In spite of herself, she smiled. Now he was the one doing the chasing. She wasn’t really into him, after everything she’d heard him think but...
She thought about Cooper. He’d made it clear that he was only interested in being friends. That the past was the past.
OK, she texted. Why not?
An hour later, she decided she was hungry and went down to the cafeteria for a quick bite. She spotted Olivia immediately, sitting at a table at the back. She was eating and checking her phone.
Mackenzie paid for her sandwich and went over there. “Hey,” she said, sitting next to her. “What are you doing here? I thought you worked Mondays and Thursdays.” She thought that’s what Cooper had said.
“They called me in,” Olivia said, her voice pinched. “They were short in triage. I wasn’t doing anything, anyway.” She felt a prickle of irritation. Why does Cooper feel the need to talk about me to Mackenzie?
Mackenzie blinked in surprise. Why do you feel the need to talk about me to my best friend? she shot back. She knew the answer, of course. Olivia was jealous.
Do we really have to do this? Olivia took a deep breath. It was one thing to spy on someone from afar. It was another thing to confront her face to face.
