Elevated (Book 1): Elevated (18 page)

“Sounds like thanks to your slip to Shelly, you’re already caught,” Jex says.

I bite my lip, flames igniting in my stomach. “I was just trying to learn what I could. And—well—I felt sorry for her.”

“Sweet, very sweet, I’m sure she’ll visit you in prison often,” Jex says, chugging down another beer.

“That’s not funny,” I say.

“Sorry,” he says, wiping his lips. “But time is against you. If there’s any hope of finding out the truth before you are thrown behind bars, we have to keep pressing on.”

“He’s right,” Aaron says.

I lean back on his desk, wincing at the feeling of cheese puff crumbs under my hand.

“Rose,” Jex says. “I want you to know that if they ever discover the truth, you can always stay here.”

He beams and I give him a hug, staining his shirt with specks of cheese puff. I laugh, thinking about what Jex’s bedroom must look like. My brain conjures up a vision of him sleeping on a pile of beer cans and cheese puffs. At least I know I’d never go without processed snacks living down here.

A part of me wishes I could move in tomorrow. I hate living with Mr. Roberts. And Mom, well, she hadn’t been my mom for some time.

“Elliott too?” I ask.

Jex flinches and after a heavy sigh, speaks with a heavy voice. “Elliott, too.”

“But he could zap you,” Aaron says. “Then all would be lost.”

Jex snickers. “It would take a lot more than that.”

***

When I wake up at my desk, I quite sure a bowling ball must have smacked me in the head. Not sure when I finally fell asleep last night, but the splash of water from my alarm broke a deep dream. As I now look around the classroom, it’s clear most of my classmates didn’t get much rest either. Except Aaron; he’s chirpy. I can’t fathom his enjoyment of tests.

The teacher marches by with a stack of papers and my stomach threatens to throw up the bagel I had this morning. Paper is always a bad sign. Only time you see paper is for the big tests, the ones they don’t trust to technology. Each paper seems to slam down my desk, reminding me of how unprepared I am. With a hit of her clicker, the screen behind the teacher lights up with time remaining. Three hours. Too long and too short.

The first section is English. Good, at least it will give me some confidence. As I tackle each question, I begin to think that this test isn’t a lost cause after all. Breezing through the section, I glance back at the clock. Only been 30 minutes. Sitting a little taller in my chair, I wonder how Aaron is doing. Then I see that he’s only a few questions behind me.

Wait.

I can see what Aaron is doing. Of course I can. I’m scanning. But I shouldn’t. Trying my hardest to ignore him, I turn the page to the next section.

Math.

Aaron is smirking right now. But I shouldn’t be scanning. I shouldn’t see that the first answer is A. I can’t seem to stop myself. The more I try to concentrate, the more my brain keeps traveling over to him.

This couldn’t have happened if they knew of my ability. Usually a Scanner takes the test in isolation. It wouldn’t be fair any other way. Otherwise, they can just copy off the smartest person in class.

Like I’m doing right now.

My mind invents reasons why this is ok. I’m only checking my answers, or that it shouldn’t matter to Orbison University if I have a high math score since I’m trying to get into their botany program anyway. When I focus on the test again, Aaron is ahead of me. Must have missed a few questions. It’s a relief in a way; now our tests won’t match. I won’t get caught. Wait, won’t get caught?

I am a cheater.

Miss Laura slinks through the classroom. I giggle inside at her futile attempts to expose me. Thanks to Jex, I’ve gotten good at masking my open mouth to look like normal breathing now. I’m practically undetectable. There’s something fun about this, although a voice inside me tells me to stop. Aaron races through the questions. I knew he had skills, but I’m starting to wonder if he’s a mathematical genius. We finish the math section together.

History is next. It’s a good thing I studied those history books. Aaron selects 776 CE as the year for the founding of America and I have to force my mouth shut. He must have made a goof. It’s embarrassing, but at least the score is accumulative and he’ll never have to know. Unless I tell him.

The final section is Science, and I notice that I’m paying less attention to Aaron now. My thoughts travel to him when we reach a series of questions involving plant biology and I get a rush of pride when I see him put down a string of correct answers. He wasn’t ignoring my lectures in Fowler’s Grove after all.

At last, the ordeal is over. Miss Laura steps over to collect my test. She hesitates for a moment. Did she catch me? How could she know? She takes a minute to sneeze and then picks it up. Sighing, I push back on the hard chair, which refuses to let me relax. At least I shouldn’t have to worry about getting into Orbison University now.

Out in the hallway, Shelly slinks over.

“So, who are you bringing?” Her voice penetrates my skull.

Over her shoulder is Aaron. He’s shaking his head.

“It’s a surprise,” I say.

“I can’t wait,” she says and cackles like a kookaburra on caffeine. She skips away towards one of Tessla’s flying buddies.

“Figures she’d want Fliers at her party.” Aaron sips at the water fountain, still charred from a Sparker who “accidentally” scorched it showing off to his girlfriend.

Shelly’s eyelids flutter, trying to get their attention. They keep ignoring her.

“Oh, I have to get this,” he says, pulling out his phone to video it. “I need a record of Shelly getting rejected.”

Shelly leans up against one of the Fliers like an anaconda sizing up its next victim. He laughs and slams her backwards against the locker. My body flinches at the sight. They walk away but she pursues them. Suddenly, Tessla appears from around the corner. She grabs Shelly’s shirt and lifts her off the ground, then drops her.

“Aaron, we have to do something,” I say.

Aaron’s still filming, but his mischievous grin is gone, replaced by a look of horror.

Tessla leans back, her wings spread. She stomps forward like a lowland gorilla. Then her feet fly up in front of her face as she trips on a loose tile in the floor, splatting on the floor. Feathers fly everywhere. Aaron laughs. Shelly runs away and we dash outside as the other Fliers fume behind us.

“Now that’s a great video,” Aaron says as we catch our breath.

“You have to delete it,” I say.

“Nah, there’s money in that,” he says. “I’m posting it online right now.”

Aaron can be so cruel. He plays back the video, and when I watch Tessla toppling over like a lumbering hippo, I laugh inside. I guess I’m pretty cruel too.

“Aaron, you have to delete it.”

“Why? Doesn’t she deserve it?”

“No one deserves it.”

“You laughed, didn’t you?”

I stand there fuming. “Delete it.”

Aaron shakes his head.

“I can’t believe you,” I say.

My hands reach out to grab his phone, but he pulls it away and skips down the grassy field. I don’t bother to chase after him. There are bigger problems. Like who I’m going to coax into accompanying me to Shelly’s party. For the first time, I wish I was more of a social butterfly.

Elliott could be an option. After all, blasting me against a wall during his cricket experiment has to be worth some sort of payback. I am about to call him when Zach walks by reading his phone. He waves and holds it out in front of me.

“Are you attending the extravaganza?” he asks, pointing at the invitation on his screen.

“Yeah, Shelly kind of twisted my arm. She thinks I owe her after she helped me.”

“Right.” He puts his phone in his pocket and strokes his chiseled face. “I’ll be there as well. Perhaps I could accompany you?”

My face feels flush and I’m weightless. He breaks out into a huge grin. Then I realize that I’m standing there, gawking at him. I must look ridiculous. I turn away. “Sounds good.”

“It should be quite extraordinary,” he says.

“Yeah,” I say, tongue-tied.

He drifts away, prancing down the hall as if sailing on the wind. The way he moves is graceful, but strong.

“You’d better watch it, you’re getting as bad as Shelly,” Aaron says, walking up behind me.

I push Aaron away. “Cut it out.”

“I’m sure Shelly will be glad you’re bringing a Flier to the party.”

It’s like a splash of cold water to the face. I had visions of a fun evening with Zach and now all I can think of is Shelly batting her eyelashes and pawing over him. Maybe I should tell him not to show up. But he has to know what he’s getting into; she isn’t subtle about her Flier obsessions.

Now all I have to do is figure out what to wear. And if there’s any salvaging my hair today.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The couple of hours between school and the start of the party zoom by like lightning. Mom is far too happy to help iron my outfit. She thinks I deserve to give Elliott a better impression this time. I have to explain that I’m going with Zach.

“It’s hard to keep up with you lately,” she says. “Who is Zach?”

“He’s a Flier I know from—”

“Oooh, a Flier,” she says, and I wince at her Shelly-like tone.

Everyone is fixated on his flying ability, which I have to admit isn’t a bad thing, but Zach is interesting in so many other ways. For one, he’s smart.

And he has a great body.

I giggle inside. Maybe I’m as shallow as everyone else.

It takes a battle of wills, but I end up happy with my hairstyle. Either that or I’m too exhausted to care anymore. If anything, I’m saved by the fact I’m wearing my favorite outfit, a skirt with bright-colored flowers and an emerald blouse that everyone says sets off my red hair. I open the door to wait for Zach outside and am surprised to find him standing on my front doorstep. He looks stunning in a charcoal suit, perfectly tailored to his body.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” he says.

I hadn’t realized I was running late. But the clock on the wall says I am. “Sorry about that, took me a while to get dressed,” I say.

“It was worth the wait,” he says, eyeing my outfit.

A warm breeze brushes my skin.

He steps over to the car and opens the passenger door. “Shall we?”

Nodding, I slide inside. If we were going to a fancy restaurant or concert, this night would be one of the most exciting in my life. But I won’t let the fact that we’re on our way to Shelly’s party ruin this moment.

Zach smiles and directs the car. It pulls out of the driveway and onto the road. He turns his seat to the side and stares at me for a moment. I want to think he’s admiring me, but his expression looks confused.

“I need to ask you something,” he says.

“What?”

“You are a girl. And, I think you are very smart.”

He’s obviously falling over his words, but I’m still not sure what he’s getting at. All I can respond with is, “Yes.”

“It’s just, let’s see, I don’t know why, but I can’t seem to stop thinking about Shelly.”

An atomic bomb explodes in my brain.

“Really?”

“She is the embodiment of everything wrong for me. Insipid, vapid, involved with the government, but yet, I find myself drawn to her for some reason.”

“Why?”

Zach shakes his head. “I can’t figure it out, hoped you might know.”

Is this why he invited me? What a jerk.

“How should I know, Zach? I barely know you. I was kind of hoping to learn more about you tonight.”

“Like what?”

“I dunno. Your favorite book, or color or—”

He laughs. “Going to interview me for a blog or something?”

“No, I just—I thought we were going to have fun.”

Zach pauses and shifts his eyes. “Oh dear. You don’t have affection for me, do you?”

It’s like the air has been sucked out of the room. I don’t even know how to respond. This situation couldn’t be anymore awkward. No win scenario.

Zach rubs his face. “I’m sorry. I’m such an idiot. You must think this a date, right?”

The knife in my heart twists further. I want to turn around, to go back home. This night, which began like a dream, has transformed into a nightmare within a couple of seconds. My insides hurt. Of course I thought it was a date. Only an idiot could invite someone on a date without—

Crap.

“I thought you were dating Aaron.”

“Aaron?”

“You do spend a fair amount of time with him.”

“He’s like a brother to me.”

“And then you didn’t talk to me until I became a Flier.”

“Shelly is only interested in you because you’re a Flier. Nothing more.”

Zach smacks the steering wheel. “I hate being a Flier.”

“You do?”

“What does it gain me? Stalkers? People begging me to show off? The ability to schmooze with snobs on a sky deck? I’ve haven’t even been to a sky deck. They’re too high up.”

“Zach, do you mean—”

“Yes, I’m scared of heights,” he says before turning away from me.

“So that’s why you didn’t make it up the pole.”

“Go ahead, laugh.”

“I’m not laughing, Zach.”

“You’d be the first then,” he says. “I have no chance tomorrow with my flying test.”

“You can do it, Zach. It’s only once.”

It hadn’t occurred to me how, in many ways, a Flier’s life could be difficult. Especially for those who don’t like being up high.

He looks back at me and nods. “It’s alright. I’m sorry I brought the whole thing up. This is so embarrassing.”

I put my hand on his shoulder. It wasn’t fair of me to be mad at him for not realizing I was starting to care for him. I hadn’t said anything. I had been a coward.

The car continues on the path to Shelly’s party and we sit in awkward silence. I lean back and sigh, preparing myself for the long night ahead.