Milayna (3 page)

She leaned closer to me. “Yeah? What?”

“He told me to be careful. That they were here for me, or something like that.” I dropped what was left of my pretzel, brushing off my hands.

A strange look crossed Muriel’s face. “Huh. That is weird. Kinda creepy.” She looked away.

Raising my arms over my head, I arched my back and stretched the muscles that were tired from sitting all day. I looked around the food court, and my eyes landed on his blue-and-gold jersey—oh, and his body. Couldn’t leave that out. “Hey, look who’s here!” I flicked my eyes toward Jake, who was standing in line at Little Caesars. My heart did a little tap dance inside my chest, just looking at him.

“Yeah, and look at who’s with him. Too much PDA.” Muriel rolled her eyes.

“Heidi, ugh. She’s so close to him that she looks like she’s been Krazy Glued to his side. Someone needs to explain to her that Jake and I are meant to be together. I mean, she’s dating my future husband.” I never took my eyes off him. “Geez, he’s like a blond-haired, blue-eyed, muscled package of perfection.”

Muriel laughed. “Are you ready? I think we need to leave before you start drooling.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I crumpled up the pretzel wrapping and threw it in the trash. “Let’s go.”

The rest of the afternoon, we combed the mall for deals on the hottest trends. Muriel was good at window-shopping. She would try on all the cute outfits and look at all the cool shoes and accessories, but she rarely bought anything. I hadn’t mastered the art of window-shopping, though, and spent what little money I had on some wicked new boots, a messenger bag to match, and two kinds of lip stain because I was looking for the perfect shade—not too pink, but not too peach. As it turned out, that color was more elusive than the Loch Ness monster.

As we walked along the hall, passing Old Navy and a group of teenagers drinking slushies, I glanced at Muriel and sighed. “I hate that you can do that.”

“What?” Muriel looked over at me, her eyebrows pulled down.

“Look at everything and buy nothing,” I said.

“Eh, I didn’t really see anything I had to have.”

“Me either, but I’m still carrying bags while your hands are empty.” I hefted up the bags I was lugging around and rattled them in the air.

She smiled and arched a brow. “You just need a little more self-control, that’s all.”

“Yeah, easy for you to say. Oh, ma’am,” I called to a lady walking toward us. Her toddler bounced along in front of her in one of those baby harnesses. “Ma’am? The latch on that harness is going to break. You don’t want him to get loose and run into the crowd.”

The mother knelt to look at the clasp. “It’s almost bent in half. Thank you!” She glanced up and smiled at me. “I guess I’ll have to buy a new one.”

“No problem.” I turned to Muriel and pointed down the hall. “Onward to Abercrombie. Where I can’t afford to buy anything, but I’m still going to try on the clothes and pretend.”

“How’d you see that?” Muriel asked as we continued walking.

Crap. How did I know? I didn’t even look at the clasp. The words just blurted out of my mouth. I didn’t even have any weird feelings like before.

I let out a breath to stay calm. “I saw the clasp bending. I didn’t want the kid to start running around getting in the way—hey! Here’s Victoria’s Secret. Want to go in?” Muriel kept walking. I took one last look at the store and jogged a few steps to catch up to her. “Okay, we don’t want to know Victoria’s secrets today,” I muttered.

“You couldn’t have seen the clasp, Milayna,” she said as I caught up to her. “We weren’t even close to the woman when you called out to her the first time. There’s no way you saw it.” Muriel shook her head. Her strides were long and quick, and her glossy black hair shimmered as it swung with each step.

I stopped in the middle of the aisle. People moved around me—some knocked into my sides, others gave me a wide berth, and a few even tried to walk through me by barreling right into me. But I stood there anyway. At five foot nine, Muriel was taller than I was, and her stride was longer than mine, too. She also ran track, so she had the stamina to power walk the mall all night if she wanted.

“I’m not chasing you, Muriel,” I yelled over the din of voices. I walked to the benches in the center of the hall, leaned a knee on top of one, and waited. Muriel turned around, walked to me, and stood with her hands on her hips.

“You’re losing it. I was standing right next to her when I told her. I happened to look over, saw the bent clasp, and told her to watch it. Otherwise, that kid would be running around, touching people with booger-smeared hands.” I shuddered.

Muriel looked at the floor and shook her head. “Something’s wrong. What’s going on?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” My voice came out at a higher pitch than normal, and I blew out a frustrated breath.
How do I get her to drop this?
“Come on, I need to get home for dinner. Abercrombie will have to wait for next time. I’ve done enough damage to my bank account—”

I glanced up, and the same blue-green eyes from calculus pulled me in. He sat a few benches away and watched us. I stared back at him until Muriel grabbed my arm and broke my gaze. I was too far away to say hello, so I gave him a small smile and a finger wave. He barely nodded his head in answer before he looked away.

***

Muriel drove us to my house. Thankfully, I didn’t have any more weird visions or whatever they were. I didn’t think I’d be able to explain away another one. Muriel was already suspicious. When we parked in my driveway, I grabbed my bags from the backseat and walked with Muriel to the front door where my mom waited. Her blonde hair, usually pinned up for work, hung loose in the same soft waves I had. Dressed in distressed jeans and an old Rolling Stones T-shirt, she looked like a teenager, not a mom of two.

“Hi, Aunt Rachael,” Muriel said to my mom as she stepped inside.

“Hi, Muriel. Have a good time at the mall?”

“Yeah. Milayna bought the place out again.”

My mom smiled, shaking her head at the bags I hauled inside. Then she looked at Muriel. “Do you want to stay over for dinner?”

“Yeah, stay and we can work on our calculus together.” I jerked the last bag inside and stood up, brushing a stray curl out of my eyes.

Muriel and I did everything together, especially since we were both on our school’s swim team and softball team. She was my best friend, too, and my cousin. That was why I had to be extra careful when she was around. I wasn’t ready to tell her about my visions, if that was what they were. I didn’t know if I’d ever tell anyone, but I knew I wouldn’t until I understood what was happening to me.

We were lying across my bed doing homework when she brought it up again. “What happened with you today?”

“What do you mean?” I shook my mechanical pencil, trying to get some lead out.

Just drop it already, Muriel. Geez, you’re like Ben and his annoying “but why” questions.

Muriel blew out a frustrated breath. “The car? The kid?”

“I already told you—” I was looking inside the hole of my pencil when Muriel swiped it out of my hand and dropped it on the bed.

“There was no way you saw that car, Milayna. It wasn’t there.”

“Yes it was! I saw it start to run the red light and yelled to you.” I reached for my pencil, but she covered it with a pillow. Tossing her own pencil onto her calculus book, she rolled over and glared at me.

“No, you said you saw it was coming too fast to stop, not that you saw it at the light.”

“What difference does it make? We’d have been toast if I hadn’t told you that it was coming. Who cares where it was when I saw it?” I flipped the page in my book and looked for another pencil in my bag.

“And what about the kid’s leash thingy?”

I sighed and dropped my head against the textbook.

I want to get the Duct Tape craft kit Grams got me and tape her mouth shut.

“What about it? We walked by, I saw the latch, and I turned to tell her it was breaking. It’s no big deal.”

“You didn’t turn.”

I raised my head and looked at her. “Huh?”

“You didn’t turn around and tell her. You called to her as we walked toward her. Milayna.” She paused and looked at me. Her big, hazel eyes were filled with emotion. “If there was something wrong, you’d tell me, right?”

“Yes.” I nodded and poked her side to get her to laugh. “But nothing’s wrong.”

Nothing much. Just that I’ve turned into a freak of nature.

“Okay,” Muriel said between giggles when I poked her again. “Just checking.”

“Can we finish our calculus now?” I pointed at my book.

“Yup.” She grabbed my pencil from where she held it hostage under the pillow and tossed it to me.

An hour later, Muriel had gone home. After I’d slipped into my favorite PJ bottoms and a soft hoodie, I went outside and sat on the swing on the back deck. With one leg curled under me, the toe on the other gently pushed the swing. I leaned my head back and looked at the expanse of the velvet sky and the twinkling dots spread across it. It made me feel small. Small and confused. The visions scared me. And I was scared to tell anyone about them. I didn’t want them to think I was a freak. Maybe I was. That scared me, too.

***

It was Thursday, two days after my last vision at the mall, and Muriel and I were at swim practice, getting ready for a big meet against a rival school. Everyone was there, even the boys’ team. Usually the girls and boys’ teams practiced on different days, but that day was different—and so was my vision.

I saw three boys walking behind Miranda. She was stuffing her hair into one of the horrendously ugly swim caps the school made us wear, and the boys were snickering about something, and then their thoughts slammed into me. Two of the boys were daring the third to reach out and undo the clasp on Miranda’s swimsuit. It wouldn’t have done much good since the swimsuit had another strap holding it in place, but just the thought of what he wanted to do, what he wanted to happen, made me angry and the feeling took over. It was almost like I was in a trance, but I was aware of what was happening. I just couldn’t stop it.

Do it
, one boy urged, bumping his friend’s arm toward Miranda.

Are you a chicken shit?
the second boy taunted.

I jumped. I was too far away to hear them whispering, so why could I hear them when Miranda couldn’t? It was like the way I’d just seen what was about to happen. Now I was hearing them, too.
Great
.

Walking faster, I passed the boy just as he reached out. I rammed my body into his before he was able to touch Miranda.

“What the heck!” he yelled. He started to get up, his hand slipped on a puddle of water, and he hit the floor a second time. His face turned tomato red. A thick vein pulsed down the side of his neck.

Miranda swung around, looking at the boy who was still on the floor.

I shrugged. “Sorry, I slipped.”

“Dude, she totally body checked you,” one of the stupid idiots said.

Darn straight I did. Just be thankful I didn’t break out and go all Tae Kwon Do on your ass.

Smiling, I glanced across the room. Muriel was watching me with an odd expression. Knowing she saw everything, I turned away quickly, hoping if I ignored it, she would too.

Seven weeks, five days until my birthday.

I’m a freak. There’s no other explanation for what’s happening to me.

Lying on my back across my bed, looking up at the ceiling, I stared at the posters taped there. I’d gone home right after swim practice, not even waiting for Muriel like usual. Staying wasn’t an option, though. She’d ask questions about what happened with Miranda, and I didn’t know what to tell her. How could I explain what happened when I didn’t understand it myself?

I turned over and looked out of the window with a sigh. Part of me needed—wanted—to talk to someone. Muriel seemed like the logical choice. She was my best friend, after all. She was family. Or I could’ve talked with my parents. We’d always been open with each other. I got along with them fine, as far as parents go. But I didn’t want any of them to know.

I’m a freak. That’s all there is to it. And I want to keep my freakishness a secret.

The doorbell chimed, and I rolled off the bed. It was Muriel. I knew she’d come looking for me when I didn’t wait for her after swim practice. I walked down the hall toward the stairway but stopped short at the corner of the stairs, skidding on the hardwood floor. It wasn’t Muriel’s voice I heard but my aunt’s. And she was talking about me to my mother. I held my breath and strained to listen to their quiet voices.

“Muriel thinks it’s started. She says Milayna’s showing signs.”

“She hasn’t said anything to us,” my mom answered.

“It’s only been a few days, but Muriel is pretty sure. She’s almost positive Milayna’s had some sightings.”

Sightings? What does she mean? Visions?

I adjusted my weight to my other leg, and the floorboard creaked. They heard and changed the subject.

My mom and aunt stopped talking and looked at me when I bounded down the stairs. A frown pulled at my mom’s lips, and the skin between her eyes wrinkled.

“What’s started?” I looked between them.

My mom wouldn’t look at me. “Oh, um, old Mrs. Haggarty is complaining that Muriel’s dog is digging up her flower bulbs again. You know how she is.”

Yeah, and you’re lying to me.

“Oh.” I looked at my aunt and smiled. “Hi. Where’s Muriel?”

She smiled, but her lips quivered at the sides. She was so faking it. “She’s doing homework. She said to tell you she’d call later.”

“Okay.” I looked between them one more time before I wandered into the kitchen to help my dad make dinner. He was silent, and that put me even more on edge. He usually never shut up when we made dinner together. His silence was like a scream telling me that something was wrong. Whatever my mom and aunt were talking about, he was in on the secret.

And it definitely wasn’t about Muriel’s dog.

***

Muriel called just after dinner. “Hey,” I mumbled.

“Whatcha doin’?” she chirped, and I cringed. I wasn’t in the mood for bubbly.

“I’m finishing my English homework.” I drummed my fingers and waited for the inevitable questioning to begin. It didn’t take long.

“What was up in swim practice today? You almost pushed that guy right into the pool.” She laughed. It was too high and too loud. So fake.

“Yeah, well, he deserved it.” The scene replayed in my head. “He was a tool who was going to undo Miranda’s swimsuit.”

Shit. Why did I just tell her that?

“Really? How’d ya know?” She sounded skeptical, and I knew I’d said too much.

“I heard one of the other guys dare him.” I doodled on my notebook and tried to sound bored.

“How? You weren’t close enough to hear him. Besides, if you heard them, Miranda would’ve heard it too.”

“Miranda was busy putting her swim cap on. She wasn’t paying attention,” I said with an exasperated sigh. “And what’s with all the questions and watching everything I do?” I pushed too hard on my paper and broke my pencil lead.

“Nothing.” The word hung between us like a brick. Something was happening to me. Something very strange. Even more strange was that my family seemed to know what it was, but they didn’t want to tell me.

I’m a freak.

“I think we should go see Grandma tomorrow after school,” Muriel said.

“Grandma? Okay. Why?”

“We haven’t gone to see her in a few weeks. We should go. I’ll call and ask her to make some butterscotch brownies.”

“Okay.” I shrugged. “I’m down for some brownies.”

***

The next day at school, it happened again. I started to worry that it was going to be an everyday thing.

I walked through the crowded cafeteria. Long, rectangular tables lined the aisle. The room roared with the noise of people laughing and joking, and a person had to yell to be heard over the chaos. But I heard giggles and whispers in my ears—no, in my
head
. I sucked in a breath and braced myself.

The same feeling washed over me each time it happened. I could feel it building in the pit of my stomach, filling it. It was as if someone were blowing up a balloon inside of me. It rose from my stomach to my throat, making it hard to breathe. My head started to pound, and I could hear the blood rushing behind my ears. I had only one thought screaming through my head.

Stop them.

The scene fast-forwarded through my mind. They were going to trip a poor freshman as she walked by. She was scrawny, shy, wore braces and glasses, and had a bad acne problem. She had enough on her plate without some idiot tripping her in the lunchroom and embarrassing her in front of half the school.

It’s just like the little girl… I don’t even know her, but I’m drawn to her. But it isn’t my problem. I shouldn’t have to step in. I should have a choice!

I did know the other kids, though. They were notorious bullies. I knew if they were joking about tripping her, they were gonna do it.

I don’t remember walking toward their table. I didn’t choose to—I just did. Like a puppeteer moves a puppet, the feeling moved me. I had no control, even though I fought against it. The more I fought, the stronger the feeling became.

Stop them
.

The girl walked toward me. I could see the bullies watching her. I approached from the opposite direction, gripping my lunch tray tightly in my hands. One of us would have to move to let the other pass, and I knew it would be her. In my mind, I could see the scene play out.

With a quick glance up, she stepped to the side so I could pass. I slowed just in front of the bullies’ table, putting myself between her and the group of overgrown two-year-olds.

A foot shot out. A wave of viciousness swept over me, and I stepped down on it with all my weight, bending his foot at a painful angle. The boy howled. I tried not to smile. It was really, really hard.

I gave him a small shrug. “Gee, I’m sorry. You really should be more careful,” I said before walking away with a smile and an unexplainable feeling of peace. I sat across from Muriel. She looked at me with a slight frown, but thankfully, she didn’t say anything.

I took in two deep breaths, letting the air hiss through my teeth. Slowly, my mind righted itself. Their voices faded—but not before I heard him call me a bitch—and the feeling disappeared. The freak show was over.

***

Muriel and I drove to Grams’ after school. I knocked on the black apartment door, which according to Grams was ‘hideous,’ and listened as Muriel told me the latest gossip from her sixth-period class. She hadn’t brought up what had happened at lunch. Maybe she didn’t notice.
Yeah, right.

I jumped when the door flung open and my grams looked up at us. “Hey, Grams.” I gave my grandma a hug and kissed her baby-soft skin. It was smooth and smelled faintly of gardenia. She laid her hand, her fingers crooked from arthritis, against the side of my face.

“It’s about time you two showed up! I was beginning to think I’d have to drag you here by the nape of your necks.”

I laughed. “Sorry, Grams.”

Muriel leaned down to give Grams a hug before we went inside. “So.” Grams wheeled her wheelchair into the large, bright yellow living area and swung it around. “What brings you by?”

“Just visiting,” I said, plopping down on a vintage, purple couch. I loved that couch. It was a place I felt safe and loved. Not to mention it was wicked cool, with its back shaped like the Nike swoosh and its velvety feel. I leaned back into the couch cushions and flipped off my shoes.

“Actually,” Muriel started, sitting on the edge of a red, purple, and yellow paisley chair.

Oh, crap.

“We need to have the talk, Grams.”

“Ah. It is that time, I suppose.” Grams nodded, her snow-white curls bouncing in all directions.

“What talk?” I looked between them.

Grams took a big breath and glanced quickly at Muriel, who looked like she had a mouthful of Warhead candy. “Well, Milayna, since you’re almost eighteen, there are some things you should know—”

I shot up like I was on a springboard. “Eww, Grams. Mom already had that talk with me.”

“Good gracious, if you’d just let me finish. Cripes, that isn’t the talk I want to have with you.” She held both hands up and waved them down at me.

“Then what?” I shook my arms out at my sides.

“Get comfortable, child. This is going to turn your life sideways.”