I call Lucas please! (trust me Ayumi, I have my reasons. It's not like I'm stalking you or trying to get all of your hottie guy characters all to myself. ) Is that okay, Ayumi?
Sorry, I don't have any leeches on my speed dial.
~Jacob Black
Appearance: Short black hair, muscular (swimmer, muscular), full lips, blue eyes, sort of a sad look on his face all the time.
History: Caleb grew up in in a small rich town in Massachussetts. His family was one of the richest. His father died when he was young and his mother was never the same after that. He illegally races for fun, and is planning on going to Yale after high school.
Other: up for love
All you need is 20 seconds of insane courage, and I promise you something great will come of it.
*Yes, it was. Sorry, but my power was out--the east coast storms tend to do that.*
Juliet
I scrolled through the web page. Yet another well-designed scam. The text included lines like, "Generally, mind readers will experience the emotions of others, and do such and action (e.g. If the subject if listening is peeing, the mind reader may pee as well, if absorbed in the thoughts.)" and "Forensic studies show that most ancient well-known mind readers were Hispanic, so their descendents will most likely be Hispanic as well. On that note, Hola!" These subtle hints at faulty information urged me to give up my search. I didn't want to rest until I found something to relieve me.
I had just turned seventeen on September 17th, three days ago. I wasn't all that excited--birthdays weren't a big deal in my itty-bitty family. This one, however, had been a big deal. A B-I-G deal. You see, at 8:22 am on September 17th, I read my first mind. I had never done such a thing before. At first I thought it was just some one talking to me. Then I heard some...cruel...thoughts in that head. It was a voice I could pick out anywhere: the voice of Carlie DelRossi, the flat-out most gorgeous girl in school. She wasn't the most popular girl in school--no, not by any stretch--but she did have her beauty, her sexiness, and that overall vibe of guy-magnet stuff that no girl can fake. I never did realize how mean she really was. "Ugh, look at Jay slobber over that Juliet girl! Why does he want that freak? Gosh, she's not even nearly as pretty as me. Does he like quiet girls? I can pull that off. Think quiet, think subdued."
Of course she was after the most gorgeous guy in school, Jay Hampton. Jay was the captain of the swim team, varsity football team, varsity soccer team, student council Prez, host of the best non-alchoholic parties around, and, amazingly enough, free of the clutches of some cheerleading slut. I had wondered why she was saying these things aloud until I looked at her unmoving mouth. Her eyes gave away nothing but boredom, but her thoughts were in turmoil. I panicked for a second, and looked around at my classmates. They all studiously made notes on Mr. Green's lecture on parts per million. It then occured to me--I was hearing Carlie's thoughts. I mentally freaked out. It took me the whole period to gain my inner calm. The bell rang, and we exited into the hallway. I felt like whooping aloud. I could hear Carlie's thoughts, but could I hear others'?
Looking around the hall, I found my next target: Jay Hampton, stopping at his locker on his way to whatever next class he had. I finally located his voice. "--like me? Why would she? I'm totally not her type. She's quiet and serene, and I'm loud and clumsy." My face flashed in his thoughts. That was a little much for me to handle. I rushed to the nurse's office.
"Yes, Juliet?" little Nurse Marie asked.
"Sorry, Marie. My head is really bothering me."
Her face looked concerned. I guess I looked bothered enough. "Honey, you're ghost pale, and swaying. I'll call your mother to drive you home."
"Nah, I can drive. It's only two miles."
"Darling, we don't want a crash."
"No, really, Marie, I can handle it. Who'd drive my car home if my mom picked me up? I can do it."
Which brought me back to the present. I'd skipped school for the past days, and I just hoped that my mother wouldn't follow her theory of me being mentally ill. I couldn't be sure what to do. I needed help--someone who wouldn't regard me as crazy. Someone like me.
And that's when I found it. On Yahoo Answers, an Anonymous person posted, "Anyone know anything 'bout mind readers? Do they exist?"
And someone named Dr. Blaine replied, "Indeed. Seattle, Washington."
Something inside me knew that I'd just hit the jackpot.
"The man who smiles when things go wrong has thought of someone to blame it on."
- Robert Bloch -
Team Jacob: Because REAL men don't sparkle.
Team Switzerland: Because I like Edward, too.
Will stood outside leaning over his balcony to his apartment. "Yes mom, seattle...No I don't know if there is a college for me...I want to go there, see things...okay, I'll call you when I get there." He shut his cell and threw it into his pants pocket, his tie blew in the wind.
Could it be true, and man who knows about mind reading? He walked inside and shut the door behind him leaning on it afterward. God I hope so.
*Sorry about it being short. Needed to bring him in.*
I sat in the park, spread out comfortably on one of the benches with a book in my hand. But I couldn't read it; I heard too many other things. I tried to ignore it, but my head kept working. No matter how hard I tried, it would not turn off or rest.
But if he's not home, where is he? a woman's voice said, just as a man whispered, She'll never know. A child was staring at a butterfly, thinking, I wish I could fly! Nearby and hiding, a punk shoved a needle into his arm, knowing what it was like to imagine flying and feel the lowly sensation of being high.
I sighed, rubbing my temples. Damn. I hate this ability. Why do I have it, anyway?
I marked my page, closed the book, and walked off.
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." Timothy 4:14 KJV
Caleb walked through the dark hallway of his house, a place that seemed very unfamiliar, even though he had lived in it his whole life. He had the plane ticket in his hand. He walked past the den where the scent of cigarette smoke and acohal was lingering.
"Caleb." His mother's low tone called to him.
"What are you doing up so late? Let's get you to bed." She blew smoke from her mouth and chuckled. She was thinking about his father, he knew that now. His father was what she was always thinking about, what was keeping her on the verge of insanity.
"Where you just going to leave with out saying anything? Not even good bye?"
"Of course not." He ran a hand through his short black hair, "Clara will be here soon. I won't be gone long. Just a few weeks. I already called the school."
"What do you think you're going to find in Seattle, Caleb? He's gone, you'll never find him anywhere." He words, just like her thoughts were incoherent and confusing.
Caleb helped his mother up the stairs and into her bed. He sighed when he closed the door. Everyone kept telling him she needed help, and he knew it. He just couldn't bring himself to lock her up, not like that anyways.
He was catching a red eye to Seattle. He had a friend there that he was going to stay with. Just for a few weeks. Just to see if there really was such a thing as "Mind Readers." To make sure he hadn't inhereted more than just his mother's eyes.
All you need is 20 seconds of insane courage, and I promise you something great will come of it.
Tim slumped over, leaning on a post he watched the cars go by. One car in particular drew his attention, a woman driving glanced at him. He could understand what she was thinking, "Eugh! An emo."
To the naked eye that is what Tim would appear to be; black-hair, thin and dangerously unfeeling. Underneath the exterior he was in fact in internal pain. To Tim pain was what drove him, what made him feel normal, pain was his life. Pain was what had kept him living when he too old to be in an orphanage and too old to fostered into homes anymore.
Pain was what had kept him breathing when he was a little child forever being endlessly swapped into different foster homes. Pain, was actually so apart of Tim's soul that if in any way it was minimised a hole would start to form in his heart.
Tim, assured that a Higher Power understanding that without pain he would die, gave him the power to read peoples minds. To hear the scathing insults people were thinking about him, just to live.
Becuase not feeling pain, meant to Tim not feeling anything.
Pain drove him to stand on the street, in the rain, watching cars go by and hoping for insults to help him live a little easier.
A poster on a lamp post cauight his attention. He instantly got up and with his amazing speed was infront of it within seconds.
It read, in barely readible faded writing:
"Mind-Readers, Seattle, Washington - Dr Blaine."
Why such a note would be hung up on a post in the middle of no-where in particular, was beyond him.
However he was certain, that in Seattle people weren't as nice as they were here. His red eyes lightened in amusement as he walked over to a train station. With a dry humourless smile upon his face; he bought a ticket,
Colt slowly walked downtown Seatle. Where in Seatle was he supposed to go. He just wondered around getting more and more annoyed every second.
Wow, what a hunk! One girl thought not feeling at all ashamed to stare at him.
Stupid buff guys, that's SO not fair. A nerdy looking kid thought.
Oh my, wonder what he'd be like... He turned and focused on a little girl trying to drain out the last lady's thoughts. He shivered, he didn't want to be here any more then he had to. He could go back home to Texas and take care of his cows and not have to run into girls that couldn't stop their stupid day dreams. This was getting anooying, where was Dr. Blaine.
Butterflies flying, catapillers crawling. The little girl hummed. He smiled and sat down watching her play.
I hope he doesn't plan on trying to take Cathy, I couldn't stop him. He's HUGE! He heard the mom think. He stood up and walked off. No use scaring the poor lady.
It was late morning before Xenia awoke, pushing strands of her black hair back and yawning sleepily. "Happy Birthday," she murmured a little bitterly but a smile quickly ate up the frown as she crawled to the edge of the king sized bed. The package had arrived yesterday.
Xenia darted about her small suite of rooms, eating an apple from the fruit bowl for breakfast, showering and then dressing in a snug pair of jeans and a rather expensive, designer top that was cut low at the front and the colour of ivory.
The package was in the middle of her bedroom and about the length and width of a large fish tank. He better not have gotten me a fish tank... Xenia thought with a grin. She stripped the wrapping paper revealing a large card-board box and she opened it, finding a layer of clothes (most of them looked too big), a layer of white gold jewelery and at the very bottom a small envelope.
Sitting down on her bed, Xenia held the envelope for a while and then opened it. The card was beautiful but its message was short and couldn't satisfy the daughter's loneliness:
Happy Birthday Xen,
I've put $2000 on your card to start you off, have a good day,
Dad x
The card went on the mantelpiece. The jewelery went into the chest of drawers. Most of the clothes went into a large trunk under the bed. Xenia didn't know why she did it but she always kept them. She'd buy her own with the card but she always kept the clothes he bought her too. In fact, the set from her thirteenth birthday might fit her now and she'd consider wearing them if they weren't terribly out of fashion and childish.
There was a knock at the door. Xenia picked her purse and her keys up and opened it, leaving the room and closing it behind her. The visitor of course was her driver Michael as scheduled.
"Happy birthday little brat," Xenia heard. She frowned. Michael wasn't known for his lapses in humour, in fact, he had a face like a piece of steel.
"Don't call me that," Xen said irritably. Michael frowned.
'Did I say that out loud?" he wondered worriedly. Xenia paused and stared at him. He'd said that without moving his lips, while looking at her the entire time, walking down the steps alongside her. But... how.
And then she heard the voice of a woman walking up the stairs, towards them and her lips didn't move either. 'I can't wait to see my room,' she was saying. 'It better be nice.'
Kelly moaned, turning over on her bed to know the alarm clock off the nightstand. Was it 6:00 already?
God! Wait. It was her 17th birthday, wasn't it? She smiled, sitting up rubbing sleep from her eyes. Yawning, she swung her feet over the bed touching the floor. Time for breakfast she thought.
Her laptop made a funny noise, so she walked over to it, moving to mouse pad to pull up the screen.
Yahoo? She frowned. Why was Yahoo on her screensaver?
A message popped up.
From: Dr. Blaine
Title: Unatural things that happen in the mind.
Hello people, You may think this is stupid but please let me assure you, this is completely true. Have there ever been any incidents in you life when you could hear someone say something, but there lips didn't move? Well if so you may be one of the few who have what I would diagnose as Hummania Hearititus. You can read peoples minds....
She finish the message. Stupid spam mail!
She turned away, heading toward her bedroom door.
I wonder if she up yet? She heard go through her mind as she opened the door. Fottsteps came uop the stairs.
"Kelly? You up hun?" Her mom called. I hope shes ready for her birthday surprise.
Whoa! What was that?
"Didn't you just say something Ma?" She asked, sticking her head out the door.
"Yeah I asked were you up?" Her mom finally made it up the stairs.
"Obviously."she said in a sarastic tone.
"Don't get smart with me." Her mother warned, wagging a finger.
"Yes ma'am."
This child is a handful.
Okay!
"Mom, I'll be down in a minute i nedd to go check something."
"Okay see you in a few. Happy Birthday Kelly. Love ya!" Seh sent a smack kiss.
"You too Mom." Turning she ran back to her computer, hopeiong to find that message on Yahoo.
What the hell is going on? she thought logging into Yahoo.
I leaned my head against the window, relishing the chill of it. It was about an hour after midnight, my birthday. The car hit a speed bump and my head hit the window.
“Ouch.” I muttered, looking again at the laptop.
“Hon, if you aren’t going to use the computer, shut it down.” My dad said, looking momentarily casting a look in my direction. Sighing, I looked once more at the blinking screen. In seconds, I had it powering down.
Figures that she’ll be ungrateful, after all this time. I stiffened and looked at my father, whom I hadn’t seen in years.
"What are you doing?"
"I've got paint and rollers...water sking"~The Philanthropist
((Jink Thompson-- Seattle, Washington-- September 17th))
Mia, you better be up or else I'm gonna kick your ass. I told you we were going to breakfast but do you ever listen to me? Or anyone, for that matter?
I groaned, listening to my mother. My name, I hated my name. Stretching out across my bed I responded to the annoyance of my mother. "Aww shut it. I'm working on it!"
My door opened. "Well aren't you the little psychic. Up! Lets go to your birthday breakfast!" Psychic?
The impact of my pillow took me by surprise. Wasn't I laying on that..? "Huh?"
"Looks like someone was on the computer late last night." My mother observed, leaning over to shut my laptop off. My face scrunched together, I was on the computer? "You need more sleep, Mia."
"It's Jink! Not Mia, Jink!"
My mother crossed her arms. "I gave you the name Mia, so I'm gonna use it. Everyone else can call you Jink, but not me. Now hurry up! I want to get a seat at the diner before it gets filled up."
With that my mother left the room, shutting the door behind her. I sighed and rolled off the bed and onto the floor. I glanced at my laptop in confusion once more and finally gave up. I picked out a black crop top and jeans. I quickly pulled my hair up, put some light make up on and ran downstairs. My mom looked me over and raised an eyebrow.
Not the most appropriate thing for breakfast...
Her lips didn't move. Why didn't her lips move?
"Um, repeat that?" I asked.
My mom blinked in confusion. "Repeat what?"
"I think this is plenty appropriate. It's gonna be 70 today."
"I never said..." She paused and started laughing. "You really are a psychic today."
I shook my head a bit and grabbed my olive drab bucket hat, pulling it on my head and adjusting my hair.
Good lord, anything else, beauty queen?
"Nope, I'm set."
My mom smacked me on the arm. "Shut up and quit trying to creep me out. Although, I must say, it's working."
I rubbed my arm and headed toward the car. What was wrong with me?
) Is that okay, Ayumi?
