Seers (9 page)

“One.”

“Seriously? You’re counting? What am I, six?”

“Two.”

“Who made you my mother?”

“Three.”

“Come on, man. It was supposed to be funny!”

“Stay away from Kate.”

I shuddered at the menace in Patrick’s even voice. It was hard to imagine that he was the same person I’d been laughing with not even an hour ago.

Patrick continued thinly. “I’ll forgive you for your other mis-demeanors, but if you come near her again without my permission, you’ll regret it.”

“For being an angel, you could be a bit more angelic.”

“Toni, go home. Now.”

“Sheesh, could you be any more boring?”

“I’m really not in the mood for this right now.” He abruptly turned away, and I shrank back against the house, my heart 62 K • • •

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pounding as he headed back toward the party—toward me. Still completely mystified about what I’d witnessed, I turned and darted back into the party before Patrick could see me.

I pushed back toward Aaron, knowing that he’d be just where I’d left him. My heart was beating almost painfully against my chest, and I kept hearing snatches of the conversation I’d overheard. And despite what I’d thought about Patrick, I was beginning to wonder if he really was such a good person after all.

One thing was certain. He and the invisible man knew each other.

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Eight

Patrick tried to approach me once, but before he could get too close I asked Aaron to come dance with me. I was still unsure about what I’d witnessed in the front yard, and the last thing I wanted was to be alone with Patrick O’Donnell. Aaron led me closer to the speakers, where a small portion of the crowd was dancing, and I didn’t see Patrick again.

Or the invisible man. Who wasn’t so invisible, it seemed.

I knew that Lee probably expected me to come back and explain my strange behavior, but something kept me from seeking her out. Maybe I was just too overwhelmed with the weirdness of it all. These seemed more like scenes from a potential movie, not my life. So I danced with Aaron for a while before announcing that I was ready to call it a night.

Aaron was a little disappointed, but his aura was still mostly blue as he walked me to my car. He opened my door for me, but before I could get in he grasped my wrist. Looking at his hand, I could see that the blue was being quickly replaced by green uneasiness, and tinges of brown—pain.

“Kate, are you all right?” His voice was soft, and for the first time I realized how tense my body was.

“I’m fine,” I whispered automatically.

“No, you’re not.” He snorted out a laugh that held no happiness. “Kate, you’ve hardly said a word to me all night. You don’t even look at me when we talk anymore.”

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I bit my lower lip, then lifted my head. Our eyes met, and I could see the hurt on his face.

“I just want to know what you’re thinking,” he begged softly.

“I want to help you. But I can’t be there for you if you won’t let me in.”

I wanted to look away because I didn’t want to see the pain I was causing him, but I forced myself to keep our gaze steady.

Slowly I began to speak. “I’m sorry I’ve been so distant. I know it’s not fair to you. I just . . .” I shrugged helplessly, and fought the stinging of tears in my eyes. “It’s just so hard, okay? It’s not like I can just magically wish all of this to go away. I changed that day.

And I’m still trying to adjust.”

He ducked his head, and I knew from his aura that he worried he’d pushed me further away. I gripped his hand, our fingers intertwining easily. “Aaron, this isn’t about you. Honestly, I’d be a complete wreck without you. I love you.” More or less, that was the truth.

His eyes lifted, and he watched my face closely. “I love you, too,” he whispered. Then he leaned in and kissed me.

This wasn’t the gentle peck I’d grown used too lately—The one that I didn’t feel. No, tonight I could feel the warmth all over my body as our lips melted together. He held me tightly and kissed me tenderly. I grew dizzy in his arms, and I didn’t want it to end.

I tried not to think about anything—I just relished the moment.

I knew that he loved me. Despite all the crazy things happening in my life right now, Aaron Phelps loved me. He was kissing me, making me breathless.

When we finally broke apart, I was gasping, and so was he.

He cradled my head in both his palms, his fingertips gently pressing my hair back so he could kiss my forehead.

“I love you, Kate,” he whispered. “And we’ll make this work.

Because we’re meant to be together.” I kissed him again. I wanted to feel that glorious feeling again.

I wanted to be a normal girl, desperately in love with her boyfriend.

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I wanted to be that perfect couple that Aaron saw so clearly.

Once the kiss was over and I was in the car, Aaron gently shut the door and I watched his aura—practically swimming in blue and yellow—knowing that no matter how badly I wanted to be normal, I wasn’t.

I started the car and Aaron wandered back to the sidewalk, starting the long walk back to the party, several houses away. I shifted into gear and slowly eased out from between two other cars. Once I was on the street I pulled a sharp U-turn and headed back toward my house. Still picking up speed I glanced out my rear-view mirror. I could still see the glow of lights that marked Lee’s party, but I found myself focusing on a man just stepping on the sidewalk, several houses away from Lee’s. He had a silver aura, and—though it was dark—I knew it was Patrick. I just didn’t have the same icy feeling as when the invisible man was watching me.

But I also knew that he’d seen everything, and I found myself blushing.

I focused back on the road ahead, and for the first time this week, I let the tears fall.

s

Monday afternoon found me in the cafeteria sitting next to Lee, alone at our usual table. Aaron and Jaxon, along with several other athlete buddies, had decided to drive down to our rival school during lunch. I didn’t ask any questions, but Jaxon let it slip that he had plenty of paint in his truck.

Without the guys, and with Patrick sitting with the special needs kids now, I assumed Lee and I would have a meal alone.

I’d avoided her the rest of the weekend, and she’d been so busy cleaning up the yard after the party that she hadn’t had an opportunity to regale me with questions about the mysterious Toni.

Honestly, I’d been so weird lately, she probably just chalked this up to my latest mental breakdown. Still, I didn’t want to talk about it. Because if I told her that Toni was actually the Invisible Man, it 66 K • • •

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would lead to the conversation I’d overheard between Patrick and Toni, and I don’t think I was ready to admit out loud that I might have been wrong about Patrick being good. Because, despite what I’d heard and seen, there was a part of me that was still entranced by him and our brief conversation at the party. Talking and laughing with him had been so natural and easy. So comforting. I didn’t want to admit to anyone—maybe even myself—that I was afraid to lose that.

Luckily, we weren’t alone for long. But it was with mixed feelings that I watched Patrick approach us.

He didn’t seem as happy as usual. He was walking toward the table slowly, and I was reminded of the first time I saw him, standing awkwardly in the doorway to American Lit. That awkwardness was present now as he glanced between me and Lee. It was obvious in his eyes, his stance—he wondered if he belonged here anymore.

I suppose that meant he knew I’d seen him spying on my goodbye with Aaron Saturday night, or maybe it was because I’d avoided him most of the night. I hoped it wasn’t because he somehow knew that I’d been the one spying on him.

“May I join you?” He asked formally.

I stared at him, unable—unwilling—to answer.

“Sure,” Lee said into the short silence, casting a strange look at me and my resolute silence.

“Thank you,” he murmured lowly, before taking a seat on my other side. Pinned in by the two of them on my bench, I felt trapped.

“So,” Lee said slowly. “What brings you back to this table?” He glanced up from his lunch, which remained untouched.

“They had a field trip today—they won’t miss me.”

“Well, I think that’s really nice that you’d sit by them,” Lee said, still stealing overt glances at me, begging me to start talking, to stop being so weird . . .

“Actually, it’s nice of them to let me,” Patrick explained lowly,

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his fingers playing with his fork, but not picking it up. “It’s probably the only table in the whole school where everything you are isn’t judged. You can wear anything, say anything, and no one’s trying to measure you. They’re just glad to have you.”

“Wow.” Lee looked taken aback by his intense reply. Actually, she looked kind of stunned. “You make the rest of us sound like creeps.”

He looked up at her, his blue eyes worried. “That wasn’t my intention. I only meant that—”

Lee waved his quick words away. “No, no, I understand.

Maybe I need to start joining you.” Her phone vibrated, and she pulled it out of her pocket with the speed of any texting addict.

She flipped it open, glanced at the screen, and then tapped out a rapid reply even as she spoke. “Oreos, I forgot. I promised Mr.

Walton I’d help organize the music library—you know, to get my grade up? Mom says I can kiss the thought of a car goodbye if I get anything less than an A in band.” She sighed loudly, and snapped her phone shut. She looked up at both of us, forcing a smile. “I already know I’m not going to practice, so Walton told me I could make it up by going through years worth of unsorted music. Lucky me, huh? At least he likes me, I guess. If you can call such a punishment favoritism . . .” She stood, pulling her tray up with her. “Well, guess I’ll see you guys later. Wish me luck.” Without waiting for a response she stalked away, leaving me alone with Patrick.

I took a quick bite of my mashed potatoes and slid a few inches away from him, pulling my tray with me.

I didn’t look up when he sighed deeply, or even when he angled himself toward me. “Kate, what’s the matter? Did I do something wrong?”

“What makes you think anything’s wrong?” I grunted, staring at my food, propping my elbow nearest to him on the table to better cut us off.

“You. You’re acting like I’ve got some kind of disease or 68 K • • •

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something.” His voice sounded far too accusing, considering the fact that there was more off about him than there was with me.

But I didn’t point that out. I just shoveled another spoonful of potato into my mouth.

He sighed deeply and picked up his fork, only to stab his unfortunate piece of chicken. He didn’t bother to eat it, though.

“You avoided me, at Lee’s party. I just want to know why. Because I thought we were getting along just fine. Did I offend you somehow? Do you like the British?”

I let my elbow slip off the edge of the table, and I turned to stare at him, fighting to keep emotion from twisting my face. “I do. I do like the British. They have a great sense of humor.”

“So, you’re shunning me because I mocked the English?” The disbelief in his voice was almost comical.

“No.”

“Then why?”

I bit my lower lip, knowing that I’d regret anything I blurted out at this point. Not that that stopped me, of course.

“Look,” I hissed suddenly, leaning toward him. “I know about you. I know that you’re different. I know, because I’m different too. I can see auras. You know, read peoples emotions. But not you. You’re different. You have a silver aura, and I can’t see your emotions.” I waved my hand in the space between us, back and forth, groping for the right words. “And this, this friendship you’re trying to achieve, well, it’s not going to work. I was playing along because I was curious about you. But now, I just want you to stay away from me—and from all my friends. You got it?” He was staring at me, his eyes blinked slowly. He didn’t look as scared or as nervous as I sort of imagined he would, but he didn’t look angry either. He just looked . . . surprised? Maybe a little unsure. I suppose he’d never been confronted like this before, but I could understand that. It was a first for me too.

“Kate . . . ” his voice trailed off, and in his momentary hesitation I stood, gripping my tray tightly as I walked away.

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“Wait!” I heard him call out behind me, but I didn’t stop. I dumped my mostly uneaten meal into the garbage and deposited my tray before turning on my heel and walking firmly out of the room. I wasn’t entirely sure about where I was going; just away from Patrick.

I heard him stumbling along behind me, but that only caused my step to quicken. I wanted to end this conversation as strongly as I’d begun it. I was going to have the last word; even if it meant getting into my car and driving home. Forget about school. Defying Patrick in all his weirdness was worth a few absences.

“Kate, please!”

I hated that we were making a scene. I was in the hall now, lined with lockers and cliques of students eating on the floor. I stepped over and around their legs and was soon pushing on the mostly glass doors, and soon I was out of the school. Once under the sun, my mind started to clear. I was a bit angry at myself for losing my control with him, but I was also somewhat relieved.

There would be no more pretending. That also meant no more conversations with Patrick O’Donnell, but I should be happy about that part.

Students were sitting on the grass in small clusters, under the patches of shade offered by the scattered trees. From my peripheral vision I knew that some were glancing up at me and my abrupt entrance into the yard, but they were quickly turning back to their normal lives. Lucky them.

Behind me I heard the door burst open, then begin to swing closed. He was still following me, but at least he’d stopped calling my name.