Gifts and curses (still rough draft)

I sat in Algebra 2, trying my best to stay focused, but Mr. Davis' lesson on absolute value and linear equations, whatever those are, made it difficult. I felt myself starting to zone out when something pinched my arm hard.

“Ow, what was that for?” I whispered to Henry, who still had his hand near my arm.

“Sorry. I was trying to get your attention. Do you know anything about the new girl?” he whispered, quickly glancing from Mr. Davis to me to make sure he hadn’t heard us.

“No, I don’t know anything about the new girl. I don’t know anything about any new girl. The year just started two weeks ago. Why do you care?” I pulled my hand away, annoyed that he had pinched me for such a stupid reason.

“I care because she’s weird,” he whispered.

I rolled my eyes. “We’re all weird. That’s why we’re in this school.”  

“No, she’s different. School started two weeks ago, and yet she still hasn’t talked to anyone, and she’s always wearing that strange blindfold. " He pointed at a girl sitting quietly at her desk, long wavy brown hair falling into her face as she wrote notes. Notes: I had no idea how she was writing with that black blindfold covering her eyes.

“She’s probably just shy. Here, I’ll prove it,” I said.

I probably should’ve spent more than a second thinking about this plan, but my curiosity was louder than my logic. Once Mr. Davis was distracted writing something on the board, I moved to the seat beside the girl. As I did, Henry gave me a look that I knew meant, “What are you doing?” But I didn’t care. I wanted to prove that she wasn’t as weird as he thought, and I wanted to know more about her and her blindfold.

“Why did you move seats?” I heard a voice say.

I looked up expecting it to be the teacher, but then I saw the girl with the blindfold staring at me. At least, I thought she was. I couldn't really tell but she was definitely facing me.

“How do you know I moved seats if you’re wearing a blindfold?” I asked, staring at the girl, but not really knowing where to look, since the rule of always looking at someone’s eyes while talking with them doesn’t really work with her.

“You know blindfolds only block the eyes, not the ears. You weren’t exactly silent. So, why did you move seats?” She responded. Her voice was kind, but I didn’t know how much longer that would last if I didn’t answer or if she might just tell Mr. Davis and get me moved back to my seat.

“I moved seats because I heard you’re new. I’ve gone here for a while, I know it can be an adjustment, especially alone. So I figured I would introduce myself. I’m Nolan.”I said, watching as she returned to her notes but kept her head slightly turned toward me.

“I’m Stacy,” she replied quietly.

“So what brings you to this school?” I asked more quietly, trying not to be caught by Mr. Davis.

“Same reason as you and everyone else here.” She gestured around the classroom, pointing at desks, some of which were empty or areas where no one could sit. “I have magic,” 

“What is your power, exactly?” I asked.

“No offense, but I don’t really want to tell someone I just met my power,” she replied. And continued writing; that’s when I realized she might not have been as shy as I thought.

In fact, she seemed pretty confident, at least while she was writing. I peeked at the notes in her notebook; they weren’t the things on the board everyone was supposed to write. They were things the teacher had said, just slightly different, most likely her own words.

But the thing that surprised me the most was that she wasn’t writing with a pencil or something that could be erased, and rewritten. She was writing with a pen. Every few sentences she would move her left hand over the paper, feeling for the little bumps on the lines so she knew exactly where she was writing.

“I get it, but we all have powers here. You don’t have to worry about people judging,” I whispered.

She turned her head to me. “Well, what’s your power, then?”

I knew I probably shouldn’t have been so open, but there was just something about her, and I remembered how alone and different I felt about my power during my first few weeks at this school.

“I can read minds.”

She turned back to her notes. I noticed her start to quickly tap her pen against her index finger as she registered what I had just said. She made no attempt to hide it, unaware that I had seen it.

“So you can read my mind right now?”

“No. I can only read people’s minds if I look directly into their eyes, and obviously I can’t do that with you,” I replied, still watching her pen as the anxious tapping slowed a little.

I wanted to ask more, but after that reaction I wasn’t sure I should, and we were lucky that Mr. Davis had not heard us yet, so we sat in silence for a while, listening to Mr. Davis continue his lesson. But I kept catching myself looking back at her. I had the same curiosity as Henry, sure, but his came from suspicion mine came from curiosity. I had never met anyone I couldn’t read, at least a little. My power made sure of that. But Stacy, she’s the exception. My power can’t get through that blindfold; for once in my life, I have to rely completely on what the other person is willing to tell me to know anything about them. And that created a strange interest I couldn’t describe.

I found myself thinking. Is this how normal people feel?

———————————————————————

I was so lost in thought that I didn’t hear the bell by the time I noticed everyone else had already begun to leave the classroom. I quickly put my books back in my bag and ran to catch up with Stacy. She hadn’t gone far; she stood with her hand out so her fingers could touch the wall by the door and waited while everyone else left first. I expected her to be waiting for a guide or something but one never came so I walked over instead.

“Hey, what classes do you have after this?”

“Biology and English, but I would prefer to actually listen to the lessons rather than talk to you, no offense.” She paused like she was deciding if she would regret this or not, “But I have a free period after that. Why?” 

“I have the same free period. Do you want to talk more in the library then?” I asked, and immediately regretted choosing the library but I hoped learning more about her would be worth it.

She shrugged. “Sure, but I’m not talking about my power.”

I reached my hand out like I would with anyone else to make a deal before realizing she couldn’t see me. I pulled my hand back quickly before she or anyone else could notice.

“Deal. I won’t ask about your power, but that means I won’t tell you everything either.”

She nodded. “I didn’t expect you to.”

The next classes passed surprisingly quickly. I was on my way to the library, thinking about Stacy and what she might say if she showed up, when someone grabbed my arm. I was about to pull away when I heard their voice.

“So, what did you learn about the new girl?”

“Seriously, Henry, you know you can get my attention without grabbing or pinching me,” I said.

“Yeah, I know, but I need to know what you learned.”

“I didn’t learn much. Just her name and that she doesn’t like talking about her power,” I answered, a bit more bluntly than I meant to.

“So I was right; she is weird,” he replied.

I shrugged. “As I said, we’re all weird. That’s why we’re here.”

I caught his eye for a second and heard everything he thought about Stacy, about how her power must be dangerous or that she was hiding something. All of which I expected from Henry. He tended to jump to conclusions when he didn’t know or understand things; he wanted something interesting, something which was surprisingly hard to find in a school full of kids with powers.

But then I heard what he was thinking about me about how weird it was that I trusted her so quickly that I didn’t ask more questions or that I was hiding something. That’s when I decided I'd heard enough so I told him I had to go and continued walking to the library.

The library was quiet when I entered, almost completely empty. On any other day, the sight of this many books alone would make me avoid this place like the plague, but of course, I chose this place. I looked around and was surprised to see that Stacy was actually there. She sat quietly at a table in the corner with a book in front of her, but she wasn’t looking at it; her head was up, looking in front of her. I sat down beside her.

“Why do you have a book if you can’t see it?”

She closed the book. “Because having a book in a library is expected, and I can look through the bottom of the blindfold to read.”

“That’s actually pretty cool. Is that how you do your work in class?” I asked.

"Kinda, but I also know how to write, so I really only need to see to know exactly where I’m putting the writing," she answered.

“So then, how long have you been wearing the blindfold?” I inquired.

She shrugged. “For a few years, I lost count of specifics. You said you’ve gone to this school for a while. How long exactly?”

“Since I was, like, six. My parents don’t have powers, so obviously they didn’t really know how to help me with mine, especially when I knew almost every secret. Birthdays and Christmases were real fun, but this school was the best bet; it helps me with my powers and gives them a break to actually keep their secrets," I replied.

———————————————————————

We sat there for a while, talking about the school and how Stacy does things with the blindfold, but the same thought kept plaguing my mind, so finally I asked her.

“Why do you wear the blindfold? Is it protection from other people’s powers, or is it to block your own?”

As soon as she processed what I had said, she went quiet, and I noticed her anxiously tapping each of her fingers against her thumb. I realized I completely forgot the deal that got her to come in the first place: not to ask about her power. I wished I could just know what she was thinking. But just as she opened her mouth, we heard a terrified scream come from across the library, followed by the librarian running out of the room.

———————————————————————

As she ran I caught her eyes, her thoughts hit me immediately frantic and loud, making the world around me seem to disappear. The thoughts were hard to decipher like a bunch of people screaming trying to talk over each other all at once, even though it was in my head it hurt like it was being screamed right in my ear the only things I managed to make out were “No no no this can’t be happening this should be impossible no no I need to get help I need to” and then eye contact was broken. The thoughts left me just as quickly as I first heard them.

I looked over at Stacy. Her hands were shaking a little, her breath sharp and quick. I should have left. I should have made sure the librarian was ok. I knew I shouldn’t go back there but it was almost like my body moved on its own toward where the scream had originally come from. 

It all seemed so normal, just a strange bad smell that made me think students had probably pulled a prank with their powers and freaked the librarian out.

But once I reached the back of the library, my body froze and I couldn't breathe. Lying there on the floor I saw a girl lifeless covered in burns that made her almost unrecognizable. Until I saw her face, she was a girl from my class, a girl I never got to know enough about, and now I never would.

I turned away, trying to force the image out of my head, hoping this was some bad dream. My knees locked, I felt dizzy and nauseous, like the world around me was spinning. The only thing I could hear was the deafening sound of my heartbeat and my breathing. I stood there, frozen, for what felt like forever, but was probably closer to a few minutes.

That’s when I saw Stacy behind me, nervously swaying back and forth.

“What happened? Why was she screaming?”

The second I heard her question, I remembered her blindfold. She couldn’t see she had no clue what was behind me. She flinched as I grabbed her arm, unable to speak after what I had seen, but she didn’t pull away and I knew I didn’t want to be in the library anymore, so I pulled her out without turning around to face the girl again.

I just kept walking. I didn’t even realize how far I had gone until I heard Stacy say my name, from her tone, I could tell it wasn’t the first time.

“Seriously, what happened?” she snapped.

“Someone is dead in there,” I said, only realizing I screamed it when I saw Stacy flinch. Before I could apologize, the loud crackle of the school speakers interrupted me.

“All students and teachers, please report to the gym.”

The thought hit me immediately as we walked to the gym. It’s going to be about the girl in the library.

Twenty minutes or so later everyone was seated. I could hear them all whispering confused, thinking it must be some assembly for school rules or something. I wished it would be something that simple. Principal Edwin walked to the center with the librarian who was trying her best to stay calm but the tremble in her hands told me otherwise then some man I didn’t recognize walked up and stood beside them. He looked old, professional, and far too calm for someone who knew what had been found in the library. Principal Edwin cleared his throat, and the entire gym went silent. The older man stepped forward “I’m Detective Edward. I'm here because there was an incident in the library so I need everyone who has been there at all today to come with me.” An incident that’s what this was to him. An incident I know detectives probably dealt with a bunch of cases like this but that didn’t change what happened, a girl is dead. And I wished I was wrong but I just had a feeling in my gut this was murder.

I forced myself to stand everyone’s eyes immediately turned to me I accidentally caught some of them directly and my mind filled with different thoughts that weren’t my own some were terrified about why a detective would be here others who knew me thought it was weird I had been in the library at all and others were thinking about other people they knew who stood. 

I walked down with a few other students to the detective trying to keep my eyes down because I did not want to hear any more of their assumptions. I stood beside Detective Edward keeping my eyes on my shoes until someone bumped my back “Sorry,” a voice said so quietly I almost missed it. I didn’t recognize who said it until I looked up and saw Stacy there behind me. She was shaking like she was freezing. 

I was going to ask what was wrong when I caught the eyes of the students behind her and got my answer. The thoughts had changed from before they were no longer about me or the other students standing by the detective they were about Stacy. Some were thinking about how they knew she was trouble, others thought she must have done something with that blindfold. Some didn’t only keep these opinions in their thoughts. I could hear them whispering even people who had also been in the library were whispering about her.

They all believed they were right to think she was trouble and even though Stacy couldn’t see them and she couldn’t hear their thoughts like I could, she still knew what they assumed. I moved closer to her and she flinched as I whispered “Just ignore them.” “Easy for you to say you’re not the mysterious new kid who always wears a blindfold and happened to be where a body was found.” She snapped her voice breaking a little despite how hard she tried to cover it. 

“People don’t even know why the detective is here and yet they still think it’s me!” I knew I couldn't fix it but she needed something “You're right people think you’re involved but that’s not the truth I was there you sat in front of me the whole time answering all my stupid questions about how you function with a blindfold. Let them say whatever they want, you know what really happened and so do I.” Her shaking seemed to calm down a little. 

“That's a lot of confidence from someone who can hear exactly what they think.”

 I didn’t know how to respond to that honestly. How could I? So I just stayed there beside her waiting for what the detective wanted us to do next. Eventually we were all in a small line and Detective Edward led us down the hall. Everyone was quiet but I could tell they wanted to ask questions and I noticed Stacy wasn’t in line with the rest of us; she was following but she was a little off to the right, her fingers running against the wall. 

Eventually we were all brought into a classroom with two officers and all told to find a seat besides one girl who was brought to the next room with the detective. I found a seat beside Stacy who was still shaking but now it was only her hands she interlinked them tightly together. 

“You know that officer’s mustache looks funny.” 

She turned her head to me “what” I nodded “I don’t know it just looks funny.” She faced forward again. “I can’t even see it.” “Exactly, but you deserve to know the humor of it too so I told you” I declared and as I did I noticed a small smile appear on her face and I knew I won. “You have strange priorities.” I gasped “Of course it’s a priority! They're watching us and that mustache is hard to ignore.” I looked around the class room as she tried her best to ignore me “Honestly where are we”

“The algebra one room” she said like it was common knowledge and I was the weird one for not knowing “how do you know?” “I felt the number on the wall. How did you not know haven’t you gone here for years and you can actually see the numbers.” “I don’t care to remember anything from algebra that includes the room number and I was more distracted looking at the mustache.” Stacy groaned “you and that stupid mustache.” 

I was about to inform Stacy how absolutely important it was but I was interrupted by the younger officer walking over to Stacy “are you Stacy Miller?” Stacy nodded “please come with us” he reached his hand out to help lead her but she didn’t take it instead she started walking beside him with her hand against the wall. It was immediately boring without her and the others were making up rumors. I probably would’ve joined in if I didn't know the truth and if I thought too hard I started to think about the library. So when the officers came back I started asking questions “So was it murder?” 

“We don’t really know yet but that’s why” the younger officer started to say but the older one with the weird mustache elbowed him. I caught his eye as he thought why do I always get stuck with the new guys.

“Do any of you have powers?” I asked. Absolutely not the officer's thoughts answered even though he wouldn’t. “No.” The younger officer responded “I’ve never even met a person with powers.” I knew that was going to change how they investigated this case. I leaned forward in my chair. “Oh you’re missing out. You know I’ve never met an officer I guess we are both having firsts do you have cases like this often.” I responded hoping for something useful 

“I haven't, I'm new to the force but.” He turned to the older officer. “He might after all he’s been working for.” The officer was again cut off by his partner shaking his head “So what exactly is this case” I inquired hoping he would answer like every other time and for a second it looked like he might until the officer mustache very loudly cleared his throat I could have read their thoughts for the answers right then and there out of spite but I didn’t because I was pretty sure I knew the answer and I couldn’t bring myself to be the one to confirm it. 

I raised my hand like I was in class “I have another question.” Officer mustache rolled his eyes and the younger one didn’t respond but I could tell he was listening. I pointed at officer mustache “how can you be so serious when you have a mustache that looks like that.” The officer continued to ignore me but I could see the other one biting his lip to hold back a laugh. 

I probably would have pushed officer mustache more but someone bumped into him from behind. “Oh sorry sir I can’t see.” I heard Stacy explain that was the first time I had ever heard Stacy clarify she couldn’t see and her voice was a lot softer. She let the officer lead her back to her chair. She waited a few seconds before leaning towards me and whispered “maybe don’t anger the officers during a murder investigation when you’re actively a suspect waiting to be questioned.” 

My brain took a second to process “that was an act?” I whispered back “And how did you know I was angering him.” Stacy laughed a little “yeah it was an act I don’t need help getting to my seat. And you’re loud I heard you make that stupid comment when I left the room with the detective and I know you enough by now.” 

“Enough, it's been a few hours!” I exclaimed Stacy had this big grin on her face I wanted to be annoyed with but wasn’t “Exactly.” She said and leaned back in her chair like everything was fine.

I folded my arms and sighed so she knew I was pouting even if she couldn’t see. I saw the officer with the mustache whisper something to the other officer and look towards me. I thought he was still angry until the younger one walked over “you’re Nolan Snyder right.” I looked towards Stacy and loudly said “yes unless you know something I don’t.” She sighed though I saw the smile she was trying to hide as the officer led me to the other room. 

It felt colder despite only a door and wall separating the two rooms, detective Edward still looked to calm for all this. He smiled trying to get me to trust him. I didn't know much about my question but as a soldier my dad knew enough to tell me a little of what to expect. “Take a seat please Nolan.” Edward smiled “this must be a sucky way to spend a free period.” 

I nodded and he continued “You were with a friend in the library, correct?” Detective Edward asked it was such a simple question but I couldn’t help but feel nervous. “Yes, the girl who was in here just before me, Stacy.” I answered Detective Edward’s brows knit together and his face scrunched together like he was genuinely confused by the name “ah yes, Stacy that was her name.” I wanted to ask about it but I knew it was his turn to ask questions not mine. So I simply nodded.

“Walk me through what happened while you were there,” He asked. I took a breath to try and calm myself down. It was just a question. I just had to think of it as a television interview. “Me and Stacy went to the library for our free period. I think it was lunch for both of us. We sat off to the side and I was asking her a bunch of questions about her blindfold but then.” 

I paused as the memories of what I saw in that library hit me I felt nauseous all over again but I forced myself to continue “we heard a scream and the Liberian ran out I thought I knew I shouldn’t have gone over there but I have a problem of letting my curiosity get the better of me and usually when the librarian yells it a student pulling a prank. But then I saw the girl laying there.” 

The room around me started to fade as the image of her there on the floor appeared in my head again. My hands started to shake and it was getting harder to breathe but I forced myself to keep going for her. 

“I grabbed Stacy’s hand and ran after that.” Detective Edward nodded “And you didn’t touch anything at the scene.” “ No I didn’t” he nodded “did you see anyone by the body or leaving that area.” “No, there was barely anyone in there; most people have lunch and the people with early classes would have just been done for the day; no one really enjoys hanging out in the library.” 

The detectives studied me for a second. His stare made a chill run down my spine. “Did you notice anything unusual? Any evidence that suggested someone else or other magic being there?” I hated that these kept bringing up the scene but we needed it 

“No, I saw no magical evidence besides the burns on the victim and no evidence that someone else was there; everything was normal besides her.” Detective Edward nodded clearly pleased by that information until I continued.

“But that’s the weird thing she was burned but that should be impossible.”

 “What about that is impossible mister Snyder” 

I froze. I knew from the officers that no one working this case had magic but I still thought he knew. “She had the power to create and manipulate fire; people like that don’t burn, they can't, it's impossible.” 

“So you knew Amara.” He inquired. I shook my head “not directly sir but we had the same English class and she was vocal about her power.” 

“Of course.” He said like he expected that answer “and what is your power.” “I can read minds.” 

Detective Edward leaned forward, obviously interested in how that could be useful “could you give a demonstration we are asking all students who were in the library to demonstrate to insure they are telling the truth about their power.” 

 My eyes went from his mouth to his eyes and my mind was immediately filled with his thoughts. They were cold and professional in a way I hated since I knew what this case was about. 

“I can read that you think this case is a suicide. I can read that the last place you want to be is here because you don’t have powers and you’ve heard the stories from outsiders about us. I can read that you don’t like this case because of what we can do but you won’t admit it’s because you are in over your head on this case instead you’ll blame us and our powers.” I went back to looking at his mouth “And I don’t need to read your mind to know you are wrong about it being suicide because that’s not possible.”  

He sighed and smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes and I knew he wouldn’t listen to my observation. “Look, kid cases like this happen all the time. Someone kills themself and the people close or people who knew them don’t want to believe it. I know it sucks, kid but it happens and I’m not wasting materials and time on it.” He said but I heard his thoughts as they said, especially not here. I knew that was the real reason and in that moment I snapped. I didn't care who he was or what badge or title he had. “Waste, you think it’s a waste to investigate a murder of a teenage girl? A girl, not just another case, not just another body, a girl!” I paused memories of her in my class and there in the library filling my mind so I used them.

“Amara a 16 year old girl, an 11th grader who took English class at 11 in the morning who loved her power and her friends everyone knew she could manipulate fire because she loved to talk about it she believed it was beautiful she would never do this to herself it’s impossible she died under strange circumstances and deserves an investigation and justice regardless of if she has powers or not.” I watched his face change, his eyebrows turning down and his eyes unfocusing as he realized I read his thoughts so I continued to push 

“So no detective, it isn't a waste of time. In fact you waste more time suggesting that than investigating.” He nodded and pointed at the door but I could tell by the way he was avoiding my eyes he was angry with me and didn’t want me reading anymore of his thoughts “thank you Mr. Snyder you may be on your way and do tell the officers to send the next person in for questioning.” “You're serious” I started to say but was cut off. “Good day Mr. Snyder” finally I forced myself out of the chair and with one final glare I left and I didn’t tell the officers to let the next person in for questioning because that would waste my time.

I flopped down into the chair next to Stacy “I take it your questions weren’t exactly great either?” Stacy asked I threw my hands in the air “It wasn’t the questions, it was the stupid detective. I hate when they send people without powers in here they don’t listen and they always think they’re right even when they obviously aren’t!” 

Stacy turned her whole body towards me “What is he obviously wrong about?” I took a breath. I was still angry and I didn’t want to direct it at the wrong person. “He thinks it’s a suicide but that’s impossible and look I know I’m not a detective and it’s not my job but what he’s saying is impossible and if he just blows off this case as a suicide someone else could die to and Amara never gets justice.” 

Stacy went completely still “why is it impossible for her death to be a suicide.”

 “People with powers involving fire can’t burn.” 

“So it’s still an investigation?” She asked quietly 

“Well no because the detective thinks it’s suicide I read his thoughts there’s no changing it unless we have some concrete proof but most kids here will know it wasn’t suicide.” 

Stacy turned away again completely silent and I wondered if I said something wrong again. I couldn't help but think this would all be easier if I could read her thoughts. After another torturous hour of waiting in that room for further instructions we were finally dismissed to our dorms. All classes were canceled for the day. 

I figured Stacy needed a break and honestly after everything, I did too and the rest of the day without classes meant I could spend the rest of my day doing absolutely nothing. I ran to my dorm and threw my door open. I already had my plan. I would finish the Oreos in my pantry while watching a movie, probably a comedy, then sleep till my first class tomorrow and absolutely not think or talk about today’s events. 

But when I opened my pantry my Oreos were already gone. “Aria!” “Yeah.” I jumped as she appeared. Even after years of being best friends. I still got startled every time she became visible again. She gave me that stupid confused innocent look she always did where she would bat her eyelashes, look up at me with her big dark brown eyes being shorter than me She had an advantage with that she tilted her head a little to the side as if we hadn’t had this conversation almost every day.

“I told you just because you have early classes doesn’t not mean you can steal my food when you’re hungry because you worked through breakfast.” I complained as I looked for another snack to eat. 

“But you have all the good snacks and your dorm is closer than mine.” She whined, I rolled my eyes. “Just buy yourself the good snacks.” She groaned “But that takes work this doesn’t.” I gave up trying to find another snack and turned around to see Aria brushing her hair with my hair brush. 

“Seriously, I can never get your bright pink hair out of that.” I complained 

“It’s not all bright pink, my ends are black and you have no room to talk. Your hair is blonde and still has those weird green blue ends because you refuse to listen to me and redye it.” She declared like that somehow made it better.

I gasped. “My hair is only this color because you didn’t want to dye your hair alone.” She pointed at me like I had committed the worst crime in existence. “Ya and it looked nice when I did it and then you let it fade.” 

“Oh!” She exclaimed “I saw you with the new kid and the detective in the gym but he was talking about the library. You're never in the library what happened. 

“A lot!” I exclaimed as I walked only a few steps over to my living room and fell backwards onto my little couch so I could at least lay down because she would make me talk about it eventually she always did.

“So the new girl is as weird as everyone says.” She asked, leaning against the wall in front, still visible, which I swore was a record. 

“No, that's kinda the problem. There are way bigger problems than the new girl in fact she isn’t even a problem.” I sat up a little tired of all the rumors and assumptions I had heard. “Her name is Stacy, she is in my algebra 2 class and she was only in the library because of me so why does everyone think she’s involved?” 

“In their defense you’re the only one who knows that and she is the only person in school who chooses to wear a blindfold everyday.” She put a hand over her chest with her usual sass “I merely was curious I didn’t believe she’s a wanted criminal anyway.” 

I narrowed my eyes at her “you aren’t curious you’re nosey but are people actually saying that?” She nodded “oh yeah and that’s only the surface leave it to powered kids to try and come up with ways to make this school more interesting.”

I plopped back down and accidentally hit my head on the couch arm and Aria didn’t even try to hide her laugh “ow! Seriously, powers aren’t interesting enough.” She shook her head and became invisible again “sadly no, not if you live with them every day.” 

I sighed, “I invited her to the library.” I jumped as she appeared closer to me “you?” She paused, looking me up and down, “invited someone to the library?”

 “I wanted to know more about her.” 

“Ok what did you learn?” “Her name is Stacy, she cares about her classes enough to not want to talk through them, she doesn’t like talking about her powers and she has a whole system to do things with a blindfold.” She crossed her arms “dang I was hoping there was at least something interesting.” 

“I thought you didn’t believe the rumors.” 

“I said I didn’t believe she was a wanted criminal. What do you take me for I know juniors usually aren’t wanted criminals. That doesn’t mean other rumors aren’t true.”  

I closed my eyes “sorry to burst your gossip bubble but she’s pretty normal considering what school we go to” 

She sighed. I thought it was finally over but just as I opened one of my eyes her face lit up “but there is still drama involving the library.” 

For a second I was back in the library with Amara again but Aria pulled me back saying “soooooooo?” 

I sighed “Don’t you already know you were at the assembly?” 

She rolled her eyes “ya but you were there I want to hear it from you.” 

I took a deep breath to try and calm my nerves and recited the events as best as I could without thinking about Amara. “I went to the library with Stacy at lunch so we could talk well, I mostly asked her questions about how she lived with a blindfold.” Aria giggled “but then we were interrupted by the librarian screaming and I with my curiosity problem.” 

She nodded “it is a problem.”  

I could feel my face get warm but I couldn’t deny it “ya so I walked over to where she screamed and.” I paused, fighting away the memory “I found Amara dead.” 

Aria backed up and screamed “Amara’s dead.” I could tell from the genuine shock on her face she didn’t know. I thought she knew I thought they would have announced it. Just my luck that they didn’t.