Chapter Four:

"Well I am telekinetic, I can freeze objects and people, I have a strong force field, get premonitions, and I can form energy balls in the palms of my hands," I explained with a grin on my face at everyone's shocked expressions.

"Wow. That. Is. Awesome!" Alice exclaimed and danced around, chanting, "Show us! Show us! Show us!"

Esme, Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper chuckled at her antics while Rosalie seemed unsure and Edward looked...annoyed.

"Alright, alright. Someone throw something up in the air," I instructed with a touch of authority. I was met with weird stares. "So I can freeze it."

"Let me." Esme stood and tossed a couch cushion at me. With a flick of my wrist it froze mid air and I smirked as Carlisle ran his hand under it. "How long will it stay like that?" He asked and I shrugged. "Inanimate objects stay frozen longer than people and people longer than warlocks and warlocks longer than demons. It should stay at least ten minutes. It's only a pillow after all."

"What about us?" It was quiet Jasper again. "Less, by a lot. Maybe a minute. Your molecular structure is far more advance. I'd place you guys in between warlocks and demons. So, telekinesis next, yes?"

"Oh oh! Lift me up again! That was awesome."

"You know, Emmett, you remind me of my cousin H.J., he's always bugging me to "make him fly". It's cute," I told him and laughed at his offended expression before using my right hand to channel my telekinesis. He slowly rose off of the ground and started cackling like mad while everyone else remained quietly stunned.

"Amazing. Truly amazing," Carlisle breathe out barely audible for me to hear. It was then that my cellphone rang.

"Oh, great. Super dad is calling. I'll be just a sec, okay guys?" I didn't really wait for them to respond and walked outside to answer.

"What do you want?" I snapped rudely feeling my temper rise just from his breathing alone. "Get home now, Hannah. I mean it." At that I openly laughed, "If you think I give a shit about your orders then I definitely got all of my intelligence from mom." "Hannah, you better listen to me right now or-" "Or what? You can't ground me if I don't let you. I'm not going to obey you, Richard, ever and the sooner you realize that to me you'll never be anything more than a sperm donor that I will never respect, the smoother this whole living situation will be." With that I mashed the "end call" button and collapsed into the grass that I had been pacing.

It was another ten minutes before I heard the door open and someone walking over to me. They sat down next to me and I was surprised to see that it was Edward. Neither if us spoke for a few minutes, but it wasn't awkward.

"I don't have the plague." Silence broken.

He sputtered out a "What?" while giving me wide, confused eyes.

"I don't have the plague, if you were concerned, so if our skin touches you won't contact a fatal disease from me."

He sighed heavily, "It's not that."

"Oh, good, because I was tested." He shot me a look. "I can't hear you." Okay, now it was my turn to give him a weird look.

"Uh, Edward, you're talking to me right now and responding accordingly. I'd assume, based on that fact, that you can hear me just fine." And for the first time I saw Edward smile. It's like all those clichés became a reality.

Time stopped.
My heart skipped.
Clouds parted and angels sang.
It was beautiful, a moment I wouldn't trade for anything.

"No, I can read minds. Well, everyone's but yours. It's quite frustrating actually. That's why I've been so standoffish with you. I apologize." By that point he was staring into my eyes and I was glad for the fact he couldn't read my mind.

He couldn't read my mind. Edward couldn't read my mind. Why is that so familiar?

"Oh! Let me try something, okay? Be real quiet, tapping into your own magical core is hard." He opened his mouth to say something, but I him.

Closing my eyes, I focused on delving deep within myself. Pulling at the magic, I started to force my shield away from my mind which was something I had built up when Chris's telepathy started to grow into similar mind reading powers as Edward, though not as easy to control. I heard Edward gasp next to me and smiled.

"How did you do that?" He asked and I could feel the intrusion in my mind. "Practice. It's an advancement of my force field. My cousin Chris developed mind reading abilities, though not as advanced they are still quite annoying."

I let him stay in for a few minutes. I thought about home and my family. I thought about Chris, Whyatt, and I fighting demons, sometimes we won and sometimes we lost. I thought about magic school and my old room, making potions and freezing Chris for the first time. When my mind started to wander into territory I'd rather not expose to a stranger, namely the memories of when I was told I'd have to leave or of Richard calling me a freak, I panicked.

I quickly pulled back up my shield and averted my gaze from his, not enjoying how vulnerable I let myself become. Surprising I think both of us, Edward placed a comforting hand on my arm.

"You don't have to hide and you are not a freak," he said angrily. I couldn't take the intensity and how weak and pathetic this whole conversation made me feel. I stood up abruptly and put a couple paces between us. Edward watched me curiously, but didn't speak.

"I should head home. Tell the others I'll finish the demonstration later," I said quickly and headed down the dirt path at record speed.

"It's about a two hour walk to your house from here. I'll drive you," Edward said as he grabbed my arm effectively stopping me. I just kept shaking my head as he talked.

I didn't want a ride home.
I didn't need a ride home.
I didn't need anything from him or any of them.

"I'm perfectly capable of walking. If Moses can lead the Jews out of Egypt through the desert to the promised land on foot then I think I can handle this little jaunt," I ranted out in one breath.

All he did was raise one eyebrow and say, "No."

"Let me ask you a question: is there any way that this plays out where you don't get what you want?" I asked with my hands on my hips and one eyebrow raised.

He flashed a gorgeous crooked smile and replied with the answer I was expecting, "Of course not. Get in."

I sent him a mock glare, but obliged as he opened my door for me and gently pushed me in. The brief contact sent shivers down my spine and I shuttered.

The whole ride was filled with butterflies and quiet, comfortable silence. He opened my door for me and, being the gentleman that Edward apparently was, he walked me to my front door before bidding me farewell rather elegantly.

Once inside I leaned against the door and willed my heart to calm down.

Oh, no.
I was in trouble.