Ryan glanced down the different hallways as he passed by them. If the hall monitors caught him arriving late one more time, it was a full day of ISS. And that meant an unhappy dad with his belt undone when he got home.

Finally, he made it to room 202. He slid in, the morning announcements still being read. Madame noted him with a curious look, but said nothing. He took his seat next to Maddie, who just cocked her head towards him. She smiled mischievously.

"Late again, I hear," she whispered gently. A lock of her golden blonde hair fell in front of her eyes which were covered by large black shades. She didn't push it away, which Ryan didn't expect her to do any way. He pulled off his hat and stuck it in his bag, next to the skateboard he designed himself. He carried around a bag but all he kept in it was his artwork, either just simple sketches or all on paint and color.

Hearing the "Have a good day" of the announcements, Ryan directed his attention to Madame at the front of the room. She stared right at him.

"Ryan, could you please explain why you were late?" she asked.

Ryan paused before answering. "My skateboard lost one of its wheels. I had to stop and fix it."

"Somebody's lying," he heard Ella singsong from the back of the room. He shifted around to cast a scowl. Madame cleared her throat, causing Ryan to jerk back around.

"Okay, I phased through my bed in the middle of the night and was stuck underneath it." Ryan sheepishly looked at the desk before him. He didn't need Maddie's ears to know they were snickering to themselves. Madame gave me a sympathetic look.

"This is one of the reasons you need to learn to control your gifts," she said, the class quieting down. "You may use it without even realizing it and have to deal with the consequences later. I know that most of you tend to use your gift everyday. Ryan, besides being stuck under your bed, have you used you gift at all today?" Ryan shook his head no.

"Liar," Ella coughed derisively. Madame directed a look of authority onto Ella before looking back to Ryan. He knew he should be honest with Ella around.

"Okay, while coming into the building today, I phased through the door," Ryan admitted.

"Did any one see you?" Madame asked. Ryan almost expected this question. That girl…if Madame found out about her, he'd be in major trouble. It wasn't like she would give him detention or anything. But that look of sheer disappointment….

"Madame, would you please come with me?" the secretary, Ms. Polo, said, standing in the doorway. Madame glanced back at us before nodding at the woman.

"Class, think of all the ways you use your gift in an average day and if it is necessary to use it." With that, she left. The class did exactly not that.

"Where are they going?" Ryan instantly asked Maddie. She turned her head down, a look of concentration on her face. He had to admit, she looked really cute like that. Ryan shook this thought out of his head. No, we're just friends, he thought to himself.

Maddie didn't even have to scrunch her face up. It came to her easily. "They walked to the front office. A woman's talking to her. She wants to know what this class is about, if it could really keep her daughter from using her ability." Maddie shifted in her seat. Her ears seemed to wiggle before she continued on. "Madame- oh why did they close the office door?" Maddie exclaimed. She turned her head towards me. "I can't listen now."

Ryan sighed, smiling an affectionate, yet secret smile. He knew Maddie couldn't see it. She couldn't see anything. "It's okay. You're getting better." Ryan sat back putting his feet up on the desk. The seven other kids in the class were doing what they usually did. Ella texted rapidly on her phone. Courtney chattered to her, oblivious to how she was ignoring her. Billy threw paper airplanes at Jordan, who blew them back effortlessly. Lloyd sat in the corner, his hair swept in front of his face. Ryan was never sure what was going on in that kid's head. His gift was apparently very strange, and a bit unnerving. He's never seen him use it though. Shannon and Ethan were playing slaps, Ethan ending up with red hands. He wanted to prove that he could beat a girl, even if she's cheating, technically.

"I'm guessing Ethan is losing again," Maddie said skeptically.

Ryan chuckled. "Yeah. He just doesn't get it, does he?"

Maddie smirked at this. "Maybe you should learn from your own advice, especially with Ella the human lie protector in the room. Did someone see you?" Ryan casted his eyes down shamefully. The hesitation answered her question. "You better hope whoever saw you doesn't say anything. Or everyone thinks their crazy."

"Yeah," Ryan murmured, staring at the doorway absentmindedly. He glanced at his watch, doing a double take. The seconds hand whizzed around, not too fast but faster than a normal watch. Talk about using your powers when you don't realize it.

"Shannon," he called, dropping his feet and swinging around on the seat. "You're doing it again." The girl gasped. He glimpsed down at his watch, noting the pace of the seconds hand slowing.

"Sorry," she giggled. Without warning, Madame came back into the room. Her face revealed nothing, just seemed deep in thought.

"I apologize. I had to speak with a parent."

"One of ours, Madame?" Jordan asked, not realizing the plane Billy sent flying towards him. It hit him in the side of the face. Jordan scowled at Billy, sending a huff of air out his nose. Billy's hair blew back, as if a sudden breeze had hit him.

"No, none of yours," Madame said, giving both boys a look that made them turn their attention back to her. "A different student's."

"But you only teach our class," Courtney called from the back, her long eyelashes blinking in her innocent appearance. "Are we going to have a new student?" The whole class looked up at this. A new student in the gifted class was rare, very rare. Not everyday some freak with powers shows up at school.

At that moment, the bell rang. The class remained seated. Madame, with only a slight nod, said curtly, "You will all find out tomorrow."

With that, the class was dismissed. Ryan walked out, leaving Maddie behind. She arrived to classes after the bell rang. The teachers were neurotic, fearing she'd be shoved down the stairs or something. The school provided her with special one on one time with a counselor and therapist, and special classes. Ryan wished he could just be able to walk her to class. He always tried to be this tough kid, but around Maddie, he kind of let himself…be himself. Usually, Maddie was this quiet girl, but Ryan knew that sweet and curious being behind the dark shades.

School rules were school rules, though. Even though Maddie didn't need any help getting to class.

She may be blind but she wasn't helpless.