A/N: I'm so sorry I waited so long before updating. I got caught up in school work and everything. Everything about James will be explained by the end of the story, so keep reading! I finally edited this chapter. Sorry about the errors guys. The weather's been getting to me. Enjoy!

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James stared blankly at Melissa, as did everyone else.

"Yeah, James has English Lit with me. Not that I ever paid attention in class, but that still doesn't keep other people's thoughts out. You've got a real perv on your hands Dess."

Dess was still reeling from Melissa's previous comment, and was too distracted to think of an appropriate comeback as she normally would've done. "Wait, you know him?"

"Didn't you just hear what I said?" Melissa snapped.

"But that makes no sense. How could you not have sensed him?" Rex asked.

Melissa didn't reply immediately. She was watching James closely. A smile crept across her lips. "I think I know why," she said quietly. She stepped closer to him. Although her stare was cringe worthy, James met her gaze head on. "You're blocking me, aren't you?"

"He's a mindcaster," Rex realized.

"And a pretty good one, if he can keep me out. When did you first realize you could read people's minds?" Melissa asked.

"When I first moved to Bixby."

"And when was that?"

"About a month ago."

Melissa scoffed. "You're telling me you managed to hone your telepathy in just a couple of weeks? If that's true, then I feel terrible."

Dess smiled discreetly. She liked this new jealous side of Melissa.

"Not unless there was someone to teach him," Jonathan suggested.

"Madeleine. She's the only other mindcaster here in Bixby," Dess said.

"Yeah, unless there are other cases like James," Rex pointed out.

"Ouch," Melissa grimaced.

"Wait, this still doesn't explain why Melissa couldn't sense him," Jessica said.

"Yes it does," Melissa countered. "If James really is as good a mindcaster as he makes himself out to be, he would've probably been able to block me from his thoughts and project new thoughts into my mind. Funny that we never got to know each other."

Not wanting Melissa to get any ideas, Dess said hurriedly, "It's getting late. We should probably go see Madeleine now."

"Let's go with Dess's idea Melissa. You can't do much on your own," Jessica said.

Melissa shot her a withering look. "Speak for yourself, Flashlight girl." She began tugging on the fingertips of her right-hand glove.

"Don't even think about it," Dess warned. She recalled the time when Melissa had touched her against her own will, and wished she hadn't.

"Don't worry about your boyfriend Dess. He'll probably be able to handle it."

"I will," James assured a very unassured Dess. She winced as Melissa's hand wrapped around his wrist. She glanced at Rex and noticed that he wasn't looking.

Melissa's expression was serene for a few moments. She could've easily been testing out a new song on her MP3 player. Then Dess noticed a sudden wrinkle in her forehead, the corners of her lips fall, and within moments her entire expression was contorted in pain. James's expression remained impassive, which terrified Dess even more than Melissa's reaction.

"What are you doing!" Rex cried, prying the two mindcasters apart. Melissa keeled over, gasping for breath.

"What the hell?" she wheezed.

"I'm wondering the same thing," Rex said, turning to face James. "What did you do?" He sounded more scared than furious.

"I wasn't just going to let her invade my privacy like that."

"He decided to play scrapbook with my memories," Melissa said, finally straightening up. "James, if you're be like that, why don't we go see another mindcaster?" Melissa said sweetly.

"We don't have an extra bike," Rex pointed out.

"We can walk," Melissa said.

"You wanna walk 5 miles?"

"Look, I can drop Jessica and Dess off first and then make a roundtrip and pick up James-," Jonathan began, but he suddenly remembered what had just transpired between Melissa and James. "On second thought, I'll just drop off Jessica and Dess."

Melissa rolled her eyes. "You know what? Let James use your bike Rex. Jonathan can take you to Madeleine's. Besides, it'll give me a chance to get to know him a little better."

"You sure that's a good idea? After what he just did to you? Let me go with him," Dess insisted. She needed to talk to him.

"It can't work out that way. Just try a few minutes of being separated from him. I think you'll survive," Melissa said sardonically.

"It's not that," Dess argued. But Melissa ignored her.

Dess. She shuddered and looked at James, whose hand was on her shoulder.

What?

Let's go somewhere.

What are you talking about? Aren't we going to see Madeleine?

You can go if you want. I'm leaving.

Dess glanced at Melissa, who was watching them closely.

Don't worry about her. I'm screening our conversation.

For me too? How?

Through physical contact. So what do you say?

How are we gonna leave?

"Guys, we need to get moving now. Darklings are on their way," Melissa suddenly said.

How's that for a distraction? James said.

I can't just leave them here.

Don't worry about them.

What do you mean? Of course I have to worry about them.

Don't you trust me?

Not after what you did to Melissa. I don't even know why I trusted you from the beginning.

It's because of what she did to you, right?

Stop it. Dess reached up to pry his fingers off her shoulder, but he grasped her hand instead.

I won't do what she did to you.

But you can.

I have a choice.

Then I have absolutely nothing to worry about.

What would make you trust me?

How about giving me some privacy?

Sorry, it's just a habit. But if I let go of you, she'll know everything we've just talked about.

"Dess!" Jonathan cried, hovering hand-in-hand with Jessica a few inches off the concrete.

She glanced at James. "I'm gonna stay with him," she said.

Melissa rolled her eyes. "Fine. Jonathan will just have to take me and Rex along for the ride." We'll talk later, she promised Dess.

Dess watched the trio sail off into the air. Once they left her sight, she tried to pull her hand away.

"Not yet. Melissa could still be listening. We'll wait until they reach Madeleine's. You still don't trust me?"

"Not until you explain what's going on."

He let go of her. "Melissa pretty much explained everything."

"No. You're still hiding something. Why else would you block Melissa?"

"Everyone has secrets. I just don't want Melissa to broadcast them."

"You were just digging around in my mind. Do you think you're being fair?"

"I was only skimming the surface."

"But you could've gone further."

"No," James smiled wryly, "Too much math."

Dess had to smile at that. "So James, how did you get so good?"

"The way anyone learns things. Trial and error."

"Melissa had years and she hasn't mastered it as well as you have."

"Well, to some people, it just comes naturally. Don't worry about Melissa. She's not used to competition."

"I don't mind at all." Dess looked skyward. "Shouldn't we be leaving-,"

"They're gone."

"That's weird. Darklings usually don't make false alarms."

"You don't know much about them, do you?"

"They're just usually predictable."

"They're bound to have some trick up their sleeves. Kind of like those weapons you keep in your room."

"When were you in my room?"

"I never was. Are you inviting me?"

Dess laughed. "You really are perverted, aren't you?"

James opened his mouth to reply but suddenly closed it.

"What?"

"They're coming back."

"The darklings?"

"No. Your friends."

"Crap."

"Come on." James led her over to the bikes.

"We're not gonna outbike them."

"Not if they don't know where we are."

"Where are we going?"

"Just follow me."

Dess stayed put and watched him climb onto Rex's bike. James looked up and sighed. "It'll be a nice surprise. I promise."

"I think I've had about enough of surprises," Dess muttered, walking over and picking up Melissa's bicycle.