Chapter 3
Mirage
School is ah-freaking-mazing. I love all my classes and I met two girls who are really nice, Melly and Kara, and a boy asked me to the dance, and my teachers are really nice and I don't have a lot of homework tonight--so far at least--and....
Maybe I should start from the beginning. Yes, I think that's a good place to start. After Echo had given me a hug--I don't usually let her, but I needed to make her feel better--I walked with Wolf to our first class, History. The hall was jammed pack with kids, running around, laughing, talking. I was totally in my element. All these people. I love being the center of attention. Echo hates people. She was, seriously, having a nervous breakdown at the mall. That's why I was able to get the makeup and the bra. I waited until we were in the biggest crowds and begged until Echo cracked. I'm so devious.
I smiled at every boy I passed, fluttering my eyelashes and acting coy and innocent just like the magazines I had taken from the gas station said. When Wolf and I finally reached the classroom, I was almost positive that every boy I had passed was practically drooling over me. Don't tell Echo, but this morning I had used a little bit of my power to make my curls and makeup perfect. I could hold the effect until after school. I have gotten really good at using my power lately because I use it a lot. Do not tell Echo. She will be so mad at me.
"Hello, I'm Mr. Parker. You must be the new students," said the tall, quite possibly at one point might have been handsome but now has no hair and a pot belly man. I stepped forward. Wolf wasn't about to take charge of the socializing--that's my area of expertise and I'm good.
"Hi, I'm Marissa and this is my brother Kevin," I said, extending my hand. Echo had refused to buy nail polish--I was surprised. I thought I had cracked her--but I had gotten the makeup so it was OK.
"Welcome to 7th grade history. We're studying the Atlantic exploration era. Here's the book. We have a test this Friday. You won't need to take it since I won't expect you to know the material by then," Mr. Parker said, handing us our textbooks. We thanked him--well, I did Wolf didn't say anything.
The bell rang at that moment and kids came rushing in. A smile blossomed on my face and I took a seat in the middle of the classroom. I sat there, soaking up the normalness of the situation before a voice roused me from my thoughts.
"Hi," a small girl with big blue eyes and brown hair said, "I'm Melly. You're new here."
"Yes, my family just moved here," I said, flashing a smile, "I'm Marissa," I added.
"I'm Kara. That's care-a, not the other pronunciation." The girl sitting in front of Melly made a face to show how she felt about the other pronunciation.
"History can be a bore at times," Melly said, "But don't worry, Mr. Parker wouldn't notice an elephant rampaging around his classroom, let alone a few notes being passed." Melly winked and turned to look at Mr. Parker as he called the class to order. I couldn't believe. All ready I had made friends who wanted to pass notes with me. School couldn't get any better.
Halfway through Mr. Parker's lecture about some prince navigator, I decided that I preferred the social element of school, rather than the learning part. Thankfully, Melly came to my rescue. She slipped a folded sheet of paper onto my desk. I flipped the note open and read through it quickly.
Dance on Friday. You going?
Ohmygod. My first dance. I seriously thought I was going to skyrocket out of my chair. Of course. I scribbled back hurriedly. With a huge smiley face for added affect.
Awesome. Kara and I are meeting at my house before the dance. Do you want to come over???????? I would love it if you did. My mom loves it when I bring home company. I stared down at the note.
I'll have to check with my sister.
I hope you can come . Who's your sis? She'll probably have a date! Echo was probably scaring off every boy in the school right now with her evil glare.
Emma Montgomery. She's 16. I seriously doubt she'll get a date. I slipped the note to Melly. Melly read it over quickly and grinned at me. At that moment the bell rang.
"Why won't she get a date?" Melly asked.
"Who?" Kara asked.
"My big sister, Emma," I said as I walked to the door with my new best friends. Wolf trailed behind us like a hound dog. I love him, but sometimes he's down right awkward. "She's not really into socializing." Echo might look like she walked out of a magazine—God, I am so jealous of her—but she doesn't act like she did.
"What did you have next?" Kara asked. I tugged out my schedule and looked it over.
"Science," I said. I looked back at Wolf. He nodded. Sometimes I think we can read each other's minds.
"So do we," Kara and Melly said at the same time. They linked their arms with mine and we walked down the hall to the science classroom.
Somebody tapped me on the shoulder as I was shoving my books into my locker. I looked up and instantly switched on the coyest smile in my arsenal.
"Hi," the boy said. He was tall with wavy blonde hair and sea green eyes. I thought I was going to melt right there. Keep it cool, Mirage.
"Hi," I said.
"We're in the same English class," he said. Like I couldn't recognize the cutest boy in school. I searched my memory, hoping I could come up with his name.
"You're Will, right?" I asked.
"And you're Marissa," he said. I smiled. "I was wondering if you wanted to go to the dance with me on Friday."
"I'd love to." Wow, Mirage, that was real cool.
Will grinned. "Could I have your number?" he asked. I bit my lip. This was when I wished I had nudged Echo to get me a cell phone.
"I'm going to my friend's house before the dance. Do you want to just meet outside the school?"
"Sure," Will said, "We can meet on the steps at eight."
"Sounds great," I said. Will smiled and walked over to his friends. He looked back once and I smiled. He grinned at me and walked off with his friends.
"Oh. My. God. That was Will Driscoll." I turned around at the sound of Melly's voice. "He is so hot," she gushed.
"What did he say?" Kara asked.
"He asked me to the dance," I squealed. I felt like I was on Cloud 9 and that's saying something because I've been way up there before. Literally.
Kara and Melly walked me to lunch. By the time we reached the Caf I felt like I had been interrogated. They had wheedled out every little detail and cross-examined them from every angle.
We grabbed our food—I decided then and there that I needed to bring my own food. Can you say ew?
"There's my sister," I said, pointing across the Caf to the table that Echo sat at. Shane sat with her, of course, but there were other people there to. A boy and girl. Wow, Echo was making polite conversation. Was I dreaming? I pinched myself to make sure.
"Which one's your sister?" Kara asked, scanning the Caf.
"The blonde," I said.
"You need to be a little more specific," Kara said.
"The one walking towards us."
"Oh my God. She is really hot," Melly said. Echo looked like she was walking down the runway. Her blonde hair trailed behind her. Her perfect body swayed. Her green eyes glittered. Boys turned towards her and ogled her perfection.
Jealousy gnawed at my stomach. How could she be so damn perfect?
"Marissa, Kevin," Echo said. Even her voice was perfect. "Do you want to sit with us?" She gestured towards the table where Shane was.
"Do you guys want to?" I asked Melly and Kara.
"Oh," Echo said, as if she had just seen my friends. "Hi."
"Hi," Melly said. Yes, worship the ground Echo walks on because she is a goddess and you will never ever be anything like her.
"We'd love to sit with you," Kara said. Echo smiled. We walked over to her table.
"Hi," Shane said.
"Hi," Kara said. I could smell flirtation a mile away. Please don't go there, Kara, he's spoken for—not that he knew that.
I introduced Melly and Kara. Echo introduced Nick and Megan. Nick was cute and Megan was very pretty. I could tell she was eyeing Shane.
Soon Brain and Ceera joined our table. Brain couldn't stop talking about everything he was learning.
It was fun. The whole Flock was together at one table with other people. No one was trying to kill us.
It was over too soon. We had to go to our classes.
"Um, Echo," I said as we dumped our food. I was out of earshot of my friends.
"What has been bothering you, Mirage?" Was she psychic, too?
"There's a dance on Friday. Can I please go?" I asked in one breath. Echo looked down at me and sighed.
"I don't know, Mirage," she said.
"I'll be safe. I promise. Someone asked me," I said in a small whisper.
"Who?" Echo asked.
"A really cute boy, who is really popular?" I said. "Can I please please please go?"
"You already said yes to him, didn't you?" Echo said.
"Maybe," I muttered. Echo smiled, lovingly.
"We'll see. We should get to class."