Chapters You all know about Telekinesis right? the ability to move things with your mind? or by other means of not touching the object.
Realizing you have something like this for the first time is a pretty big thing. At first. Eventually, your mind adjusts to the idea of being able to move things.
Think of it like your eyes adjusting to dark or light when someone shuts off or turns on a light. Now at first it may seem weird. Maybe even a little confusing. But time goes by, things get easier, and no matter how uncomfortable or unfamiliar with the new version you are, over time, you'll end up wondering how you even thought differently before.
Well, this was the case for a girl named Em.
For the first years of her life; she believed she was normal, like everyone else. but soon her life would all come crashing down from the beauty of light, to the vast vacuum of darkness before she could do so much as blink.
The change seemed small. Her mom telling her to just pick up toys with her hands and be nice to the other kids at school.
"Why?" the blue eyes pouring with curiosity. "That sounds pretty hard to me!" She complained. of course she had been told to keep to herself before, but they don't leave the house for more than an hour at times. School seemed a lot longer than that, Em didn't know if she had the strength for that kind of thing.
Her mother sat next to her; petting her long, flowing, chestnut brown hair. "I know it sounds hard." she said, smiling at her daughter below her. "But you can do it. You're a strong little tiger!" She said, tucking her child into the blankets on the bed.
"But Why ? Is it against the rules or somethin?"
Her mother laughed as she brushed away one of the locks on her head before kissing it. "No, but it's still very important that you don't do it. Promise?" she asked, wiggling her pinkie finger in front of Em.
Em responded by hooking her own pinkie around her mother's and nodded. "Promise." She said. Confusion still clear in her voice. She wanted to pry more out of her mother but was too tired to do so. Her mother left the room. turning off the lights, and closing the door.
-
The night flew by; as soon as Em's dreams started, they came to an end. All her imaginary characters and the many character she had once seen on her television went as soon as they came. Seemingly abandoning her to face the world alone. But today was different, today Em had school.
Em never had an opinion on school. she had never been after all. She had seen many schools portrayed in cartoons, but she suspected the real thing was a lot different. But it still looked fun anyway. Still, a place she wasn't supposed to move anything without having to actually get up and touch it was a place she didn't want to be. Plus, what if the other kids don't like her? What if she can't make any friends, and will be alone forever? What if she messed up and forgot about what her mother said--what if she found out? She could feel tears starting to burn her eyes, worse scenarios attacking her.
By the time her mom had walked in, Em had multiple tears running down her face. Rushing to her aid, her mom cuddled her till she had eventually calmed down. After she had stopped, her mother asked her what's wrong.
"What i-if the other kids d-don't like me?" She sniffed, clinging to her mother. She assured her everything would be alright, running her fingers through her hair.
"We need to get you ready, alright? I promise they'll all love you to pieces." She smiled, and Em couldn't help but smiling back and nodding, even though she was still terrified.
But she managed. She got dressed, combed her hair, brushed her teeth, and made it to the school building in her mom's old car, all without shedding a single tear.
Em prayed something would happen so she wouldn't have to go in and meet the other kids, faced with their judgment. She's never talked to anybody near her age before, so the fear of saying something wrong had her stomach twisting into knots.
But nothing happened, and before she knew it, they were standing in front of the closed classroom door, its wooden frame decorated in multi colored monkey stickers. Seemed friendly enough. Maybe it wouldn't be all that bad.
Her little spark of hope was stepped into the dirt and spat on when her mom let go of her hand. Em looked up pleadingly, but she shook her head.
"Sorry tiger. I can't come inside with you, I love you." She said, leaning down and kissing her head, then stopping at her ear and whispering, "Remember what I said."
She smiled weakly as she stood up again, opening the door for her and gesturing to enter. She smiled, nodding. She didn't want to, she really really didn't want to, but she did anyway. She stepped inside, away from her mother, who had closed the door as soon as she was in the room.
The sound of it shutting had grasped the entire class's attention, each pair of eyes turning to stare at her, stiff, in the front, all eyes unmoving for a good ten seconds. Then the teacher, who had previously been behind her desk and glued to a book before noticing the sudden silence, smiled cheerfully at Em.
"Hello, there, what's your name?" She asked softly, taking her glasses off and setting them down. She stood and walked over to her, her rainbow curls bouncing around.
"E-Em." She whispered shyly, the immense attention of so many kids was almost overwhelming. The teacher, tall, had to get on her needs to face her properly.
"Where's your parents, Em?" She eyed her, putting her hand on her shoulder in what she assumed was a gesture to calm, but honestly, it just made it weird.
"My m-mom told me she c-couldn't come inside with m-me, so she walked me t-to the door and left a-after I got inside." She explained, her eyes staring at her red heels.
The lady nodded for a minute, as if thinking about what he said, before chirping up again. "My name is miss Celestia, welcome to the class!" She stood suddenly, looking back at the group of kids sitting at various tables, around four or five at each table, in exception to a girl sitting alone in the back, who didn't seem to even be paying attention, just coloring. The kids watched the teacher look back, and directed their attentions back to themselves.
Seemingly satisfied, miss Celestia turned to her again. "Why don't you go find a seat, Em? You can put your book bag on the hooks back there." She smiled, and she nodded.
Em shuffled to the back, nervous when a few kids glanced at her, and put her bag away, before sitting down at the table with the girl who was coloring alone.
Miss Celestia had went back to her own business, as had the other kids, chattering wildly among themselves. She watched the kid color, a little awestruck.
"That looks really good." She whispered, and she looked up, smiling a toothy smile.
"Thanks!" She said, reaching for another crayon as Em eyed the drawing.
"You like Stitch?" She asked softly, and she nodded, blue eyes wide and bright at her familiarly of the little blue alien character she had scribbled out.
She smiled, shuffling her feet a little under the table. "I'm Em." She spoke up again quietly.
"I'm Pinkie!" She held out her hand, which she, very hesitantly, shook. "Wanna be best friends?" Pinkie asked, and Em nodded, surprised to have made a friend so quickly. She smiled again, wide and bright, and this time, Em. smiled just as widely.
I swallowed hard, making my way down the virtually empty hallway of this hell hole we call a high school. I normally showed up to school quite early, to avoid other people. But today was a rough start, there were already small groups of kids lining themselves up along the hallway walls. Needless to say, I wasn't happy.
I was, to put it bluntly, an outcast. it's how things have always gone for me. and that's how things always will be. I don't want friends, and I really don't need any. all I do is drag others down. and forget the old saying that "Everyone needs friends!" is about as non existent as unicorns!
Now don't get me wrong: I have nothing against other people, I just don't fit in with them. I'm a freak of nature! Probably not meant to be born in the first place. That's all I am. I'm ok with that, and my dad is ok with that as well.
My parents both used to love me and my powers as a whole. Rarely fought, loved eachother. I didn't know about my powers for quite a while. Or at least, didn't know they made me not normal.
Massive things changed in my family once I realized I wasn't normal. Parents fought so much more than they used to, dad beat me. My mom soon got depressed. I take that it was from the constant stress of hiding my powers, from me and everybody else. She got worse and worse and worse, and one thing led to another before she was dead, found, by none other than yours truly, in the bath, soaking in her own wrist slit blood.
This all happened when I was little, of course. Time has went by, the horrifying image of her lifeless body tattooed into my brain no longer scared me, hell, It barely made me flinch anymore. Even now, with my own wrists scarred pink and raw from the cuts I made with the blade I took from my mother's room, that woman, who used to tuck me in and whisper soothing words in my ear, and who would hug me whenever I cried, and who I would hear sobbing her heart out in the other rooms at night, and who I watched slowly sink further and further into depression, and who whispered how sorry she was into my ear one night, and who I found bloody in the tub the next morning, and who made my heart ache with grief years after the funeral--that woman no longer was my mother; she was dead, gone, and rotted in the cemetery grounds, as I should be.
Alas, instead of that, I was here, at school, my hell away from hell.
I soon made my way to our school's library. I spent my time there before school and during lunch. It was the usual place I liked to spend most of my time.
I pushed the doors open, finally feeling the ability to relax a little and lifted my head up, flipping my fringe from my face and tossing a soft smile at the librarian. As I was a frequent visitor, she smiled back, waving. I don't talk to her, but she's the only person I can say I trust. No, not trust, I'd say more as am comfortable around. Trust is a word I don't take lightly, and I have never used it on a person anytime after my mother died.
I went to my usual bean bag in the corner of the room. it had an effect to where you could literally "hide" away from everyone else. I let my body flop into the usual fabric, and took out my phone.
opening up the tumblr app to scroll for a bit, grinning at a few funny posts, liking and reblogging along the way. I think this may be my favorite part of the day, where I can just sit and enjoy myself, no interruptions. For twenty minutes, at least.
Then came the interruption. A loud, ringing bell from the intercom in the ceiling. I sighed, not wanting to leave my haven, but giving in anyway. I shoved my phone into my pocket, grabbing my bag and rushing to the doors.
I smiled goodbye to the librarian, who waved, like always, before turning to something on her computer. Then, I pushed my way out into the sea of people, praying not to get trampled over on my way to class.
I was early, as always. But something was amiss this time. There was another girl in the room, one that I hadn't seen before. At least 10 minutes before the bell rang, across the room, seated. That wasn't the weirdest part. She was staring at me. And not the whole "new kid" glance around the room in nervousness. it was a full on stare.
I was pretty much invisible in this world. no one really gave a damn about me. I was more or less, Invisible.
It took me some time to reach that invisibility. I used to be noticed; yes, but not in a good way. I was an easy target for bullies. Mentally, physically, verbally. whatever. I didn't do anything about it. I just let it happen.
Then it stopped. I don't know if people got bored. or if teachers told them to stop or what. Slowly; but surely, it all came to an end. No one ever looked at me. except the librarian.
Of course I'm not actually invisible. Meaning if something happened where I had to take part, it was forgotten about shorty after.
But here I am. sitting in the back of the room attracting the attention of a girl I don't even know. I looked behind me to make sure that she wasn't looking at someone behind me. but all that was there was a blank wall. I was beginning to worry I was going to be noticed and picked on again, up until I looked back at her confusion melting across my face. She was smiling at me now. Like, actually smiling. Not a mean smile, or pity smile, a genuine, friendly, almost shy, smile.
But finally the moment ended. another kid walked into the room and she looked back forward, breaking eye contact with me.
-
When the bell rang, I had already taken that the new kid had forgotten about me, just as anybody else would, and rushed to the door. Apparently, I was wrong, because somebody grabbed my arm. Not in an aggressive way, it was gentle, which is why I was both confused and terrified. Gentle touches by other people and I weren't exactly familiar friends.
"Hey." A voice breathed, and I turned around, eyes wide. It was the new kid, of course. Who else would talk to me, than none other than the one person that, so far, has broken everything I stand for in a mere morning?
I eyed her cautiously, taking in her up close appearance for the first time. I couldn't see that well back in class, all the way across the room, other than he had brown hair with suitable pink stripes and a tan face. But holy fuck, she's attractive. Her eyes were so green you could think you were walking in a forest, and his skin was a sun kissed tan, somewhat lighter than the chestnut brown hair on her head.
I knocked myself out of the short trance, back to reality. "U-Uh, Hi." I replied, words sloppy and I mentally face palmed myself for being unable to keep them together. She still hasn't let go of my arm, and I glanced down at how her tan hands grasped the fabric of my leather jacket. She seemed to notice where my eyes wandered, because she yanked away quickly.
"Sorry." She said, cheeks flushing. This was weird, god was it weird. Somebody is talking to me, somebody is noticing me. I wanted to flee, run away with my protective bubble that kept me hidden from the world, the one she somehow saw through. But I didn't, I just stood there, fiddling with my fingers awkwardly. "I'm JJ." She finally spoke up. We were still standing in the doorway, and I knew I should get to my next class, given most kids were already emptying out from the hall, but my feet seemed to be melted into the spot.
"Em." I introduced myself. "A-Are you new?" I asked quietly, watching her nod, her bangs falling over her eyes, her brushing it slowly out of her tan, blush sprinkled face. Was she nervous? Who on earth would be nervous around me, the freak, the outcast, the kid not meant to be born?
"Could you, um, show me to my next class?" JJ asked, and I nodded quickly, wanting to depart from this kid as soon as I could. She was probably just shy, and that's why she seemed so nervous and red faced.
Shy, yeah. She didn't seem so shy when she was staring at you, did she? My brain sneered, but I pushed it away.
"What class?" I asked, staring to walk down the hall. She quickly fumbled in her pocket for something, pulling out a paper I assumed was her schedule.
"Chemistry." She said finally, looking up at me through her hair that had fell over her face again when she looked down. I almost wanted to scream, because of course, she had the same class as me next. Hell, with my luck, we probably had all the same classes.
"O-Oh. Me too, come on." I said, feigning indifference. I apparently hid my displeasure with the class arrangement well, because she smiled softly, looking relieved to know somebody in the class she'd be sitting in next.
She didn't think you were friends now because of this, did she? The question choked me, making my throat run dry with worry. I couldn't have friends, I wasn't supposed to have friends. I wasn't even meant to be born! A freak like me will only drag people down, scare them away with my stupid powers, and end up hurting all involved.
She will forget about you soon enough, and it'll be okay. Don't worry. My mind told me. I sighed in reply.
God, I hope so.
Em climbed into the back of her mom's car, a small smile plastered to her face. It’s been two years since her first day of kindergarten, and so far, she loved every bit of school. She and Pinkie stayed friends, and she hopes they do forever. Today had been another good day; she learned some new math problems, about the rain forest, and about Christopher Columbus. She also got to color, the pictures she made folded neatly in her backpack. She decided earlier she would give them to her mom.
"How was your day, sweetheart?" Her mom asked from the front seat as Em closed the door and buckled up. She was so excited to spill out every detail of her day that she didn't even notice how her voice cracked, and how red her eyes were. She didn't mind, though, she just kept smiling.
"-and here I am now, in the car with you." She finished after a minute of nonstop chattering, breathing in.
"It sounds like you really enjoyed yourself. I'm glad." She said quietly, silence soon blanketing the car as Em happily stared out the window, watching the houses and trees blur by.
Then she remembered the pictures she made for her, and jumped up, reaching for her bag. Her mom's cellphone went off, though, and she stopped. She knew from experience that it wouldn't be smart to mess with her when she was on the phone. So, instead, being the nosy child she was, she tried to listen along.
"Ronald? I told you earlier--" she spoke out, voice cold. Em froze, tense at her tone. Ronald was her father's name. "No I'm not!" She hissed into the receiver, the muffled voice on the other line talking over her. "God dammit Ron, Em is in the fucking car with me." She paused, listening to what she was saying. "Can this not wait until later?--no, I--" She spat. "Would you let me fucking speak? No, Im-- god dammit!" She snapped, pressing the end button and throwing the phone to the floor board.
Em stared out the window again, only this time less cheerfully. Her parents never fought like that, mind the occasional couple's quarrel, it'd all been a quite happy relationship between the two. Mom had never thrown her phone--or any object for that matter--or spoken with that kind of tone before. Honestly, it scared Em a little. She hoped this fight would end soon, and they'd go back to the normal perfect family.
Nobody spoke for the rest of the ride.
-
Em jumped out of the car, slugging forward to the door. She didn't want to go inside, because she knew her dad would be there, and she knew that whenever mom got in, too, things would get heated.
Em did go inside though, but mom did not. At first, when she walked in and she wasn't right behind her, she thought she forgot something in the car. Except, when she turned to look, there was no car, and no mom.
Em, extremely confused, just stood in the doorway, staring out, as if she really concentrated, mom would poof right back.
She didn't leave, did she? She thought, She didn't even say goodbye.
She didn't notice her dad coming up behind her until his big hand had grasped her shoulder, a little too tightly. She jumped, inside and away from his grip.
"Where's your mother?" Dad asked, eyeing Em coldly, shutting the door behind him. She felt uncomfortable under his stare, containing the same coldless that his mother had held in her voice over the phone.
"I-I don't know." She whispered.
"What do you mean you don't know?" His father roared, Em shrinking under his voice.
Dad turned, running his fingers through his hair and exhaling. Em just stood there, not sure what to say or do. When she was about to give up and go to her room, dad spoke back up, this time his voice a whisper. "This is all your fault." He said. Em wasn't sure whether he was talking to himself, or about her or mom. The answer was pretty obvious when he spun around, finger directed straight at Em. "This mess is entirely your fault, and your stupid powers!"
Confusion flooded Em, a million questions a second. She only was able to think up three million questions before it happened; skin on skin contact, leaving a red hand imprint left on Em's face. Dad had slapped her, hard.
Tears welled in her eyes as Dad stared at Em, shock on the girl's face.
"Go to your room." Dad whispered. But Em didn't move, just stood there. "I said, go to your room!" He boomed, and Em let out a whimper, retreating immediately this time, running and slamming the door behind her.
She jumped onto her bed, shuffling back until her back was pressed with the corner, since her bed was against the walls. From across the room, she locked the door, pushing the button in with a single command in her mind; lock.
She was now thinking about the questions, tears streaming down her face as they all bombarded her.
Where's mom? Why did she leave? Why did dad say what he said? What is my fault? What powers? Why did he hit me? Why does it hurt all over, when he only hit me on my face? Will the pain go away? Will mom come back? Will dad hit me again? ...
She thought about these for a while, then decided to put them all down in a notebook. She looked through her backpack and found a spare one, then got to work at writing them all the best she could with a second grade spelling level, trying best to not get tear drops all over the paper.
I opened the front door, walking down the hall and closing it behind me only when I got to the bottom of the stairs, glancing over and sending it shut. My dad was, thankfully, at work, so no yelling today.
Up the stairs and into my room, I threw my backpack aside, it hitting the wall and sliding down with a flop sound, then fell onto my bed, rolling over so I was on my stomach. I faced my wall, glaring at my Fallout Boy poster, as if that would make things better.
Today was worse than usual, since JJ was now suddenly in the picture of my life. Not only could she notice me whenever she wanted, she also was clingy. She tried to follow me around all day, and, not wanting to be mean, I let her. She didn't share any of my other classes, but she always managed to find me in the hallway. By the time lunch rolled around, I'd only just managed to shake her. A good thing, too. I honestly don't know what I'd do if she found my place in the library; that time was mine and mine exclusively, no other students, and certainly no JJs.
I really needed to avoid JJ. Or at least step my game up enough so that she won't trail behind me like a lost puppy anymore. She's sure to find other friends soon, and will forget about me. She just needs a little nudge in that direction; so maybe if I show her how unwilling to friendship I am, I’m sure she will back off.
I used to have a friend. A good one, too. She was the best one I'd ever had, and we probably would still be friends today had she not...
Brrring! Brrring! Brrring!
I stopped my thought track, cut off by the ring of the phone in the living room. Who on earth was calling here? Dad was at work, and it’s not like I had anybody willing to call. I sighed, pulling myself from bed, and trudging into the other room.
"Hello?" I said, leaning against the wall and picking up, my fingers drumming against the back of the phone.
"This is the city school district. May I speak with Ronald?" A woman's voice piped up on the other line, so loudly that I almost had to pull the phone off from my ear some.
"Speaking." I lied, immediately changing the tone of my voice. Not wanting to say my dad wasn't here because they may end up calling back, and I'm sure my dad would find a way to punish me for whatever this lady had to say.
"Mr. Ronald, it is of my attention that your daughter, Emma’s, chemistry grade has been dropping quire recently. I would like to inform you that she has been, as suggested by the school's advisor, enrolled in our new Study Program. Is that alright?"
I didn't know how to react, and I didn't want to say something that could get my actual dad into this later, so I just nodded. Then I realized they couldn't see me, so I said "Of course."
"Great! Emma should be given a paper at school that explains the details and information. I just wanted to call to ensure you are aware of this change, have a lovely day, Mr. Ronald." The voice chirped, cutting the line off a seconds later.
I clicked the phone back into its place and groaned, shoving my hands into my face. I didn't want to be in any study program, especially not a chemistry one, but what choice do I have? Next report cards were handed out in a few months, and if my grade isn't up by then and my dad gets the paper before I do, I'm going to be in for it!
Granted, it’s still a good thing he wasn't home at the moment. If he was, then I'm sure he'd be quite less than pleased. All I can do is pray to whatever gods that are out there that they don't call back when he really is home.
