said.
“But you’re doing
okay?” Anna asked, sitting next to her friend, genuinely concerned.
“I am,” she
nodded. “Just so thankful to hear Lexie’s going to be okay. It’s such a miracle
she’s still alive.”
“Well, maybe
not a miracle,” Rachel added, with a touch of cynicism, “but I agree that it’s
pretty amazing.”
It was at the beginning
of biology class when Ms. Peters arrived at the door and excused Noah and me to
help her with a “special project.” We followed her down the corridor and out
the front doors.
“Let’s go for
a little walk,” Ms. Peters said as we headed around the building. “Fresh air
and sunshine is always good.”
Something
wasn’t right. Why would she take us outside for a walk unless . . . unless she
had some bad news? Her smile immediately calmed my troubled thoughts—her gift
had worked on me again.
“What’s going
on?” Noah asked.
“I just wanted
to give you boys a heads-up that there is a training camp happening this
weekend in Toronto.”
“What is this
training camp thing?” I asked.
“It’s a three
day intensive training camp where you’ll meet Gifted Ones from all over North
America and you’ll have the opportunity to train in your specialized category.”
“Okay,” I
nodded. “And that’s this weekend? That’s kind of short notice, isn’t it?” What
would I tell Anna about why I had to leave for the weekend?
“They don’t
give us much notice on these things,” Ms. Peters explained. “Less chance of
anyone finding out about the camp and causing problems for us.” She paused as
we rounded the corner, and when it was clear there was no one within earshot,
she continued. “So our cover is that there is a national environmental conference
going on in Toronto for high school students across the country. Our school has
been chosen to send a group to represent our area. You will be the volunteers
going on the trip, although you won’t really be going. You’ll go to training
camp instead.”
“Won’t they
notice if our group doesn’t show up to this conference thing?”
“We’ll be
sending in five young Interpol agents to replace you for the three-day conference.”
“Why five?
Aren’t there only three of us? Who else is going?” I asked.
“Two seniors
from our school. They’re also gifted. You’ll have an opportunity to get to know
them on the trip.”
“So, Rachel’s
going too, right?” Noah asked casually, although his face turned pink. I tried
not to laugh.
“Yes, Rachel
will be going.” Ms. Peters peered at him over her glasses. “You like her?”
I laughed, “Does
he? Does he ever.”
Noah threw a
punch at me and scowled, “Rachel's her daughter, dude.”
Ms. Peters let
out a laugh. “It's okay, Noah. You're a good kid, so I don't mind. It's those
other boys, like her ex-boyfriend, that I don't like her being around.”
“Her ex wasn't
a good guy?” Noah asked.
“Well, I
shouldn't really say anything bad about him. Let's just say that he was a good
kid at one point. He was a jealous boyfriend though, and jealousy will ruin
you. Rachel broke up with him. She is much too smart for guys like that.”
Noah nodded in
agreement.
There was a
silence, then Ms. Peters continued, “Jake, I understand that you have a girlfriend—Anna
Taylor, is it?”
I felt my face
get warm and my hands start to tingle at the mention of her name. “Yes, Anna
Taylor. Do you know her?”
“I've heard of
her. Seen her around the school. She's quite a cute little thing, isn't she?”
Ms. Peters winked at me.
“I think the
word is beautiful,” I said, trying to suppress a grin. Given the opportunity, I
could talk for hours about Anna. Tell her anything she wanted to know. I worked
at slowing my heartbeat so I could hear Ms. Peters continue.
“I wanted to
talk to you about that, Jake. I know you care a lot about Anna and this might
be really hard for you to hear, so I apologize in advance.” She stopped
“But you’re doing
okay?” Anna asked, sitting next to her friend, genuinely concerned.
“I am,” she
nodded. “Just so thankful to hear Lexie’s going to be okay. It’s such a miracle
she’s still alive.”
“Well, maybe
not a miracle,” Rachel added, with a touch of cynicism, “but I agree that it’s
pretty amazing.”
It was at the beginning
of biology class when Ms. Peters arrived at the door and excused Noah and me to
help her with a “special project.” We followed her down the corridor and out
the front doors.
“Let’s go for
a little walk,” Ms. Peters said as we headed around the building. “Fresh air
and sunshine is always good.”
Something
wasn’t right. Why would she take us outside for a walk unless . . . unless she
had some bad news? Her smile immediately calmed my troubled thoughts—her gift
had worked on me again.
“What’s going
on?” Noah asked.
“I just wanted
to give you boys a heads-up that there is a training camp happening this
weekend in Toronto.”
“What is this
training camp thing?” I asked.
“It’s a three
day intensive training camp where you’ll meet Gifted Ones from all over North
America and you’ll have the opportunity to train in your specialized category.”
“Okay,” I
nodded. “And that’s this weekend? That’s kind of short notice, isn’t it?” What
would I tell Anna about why I had to leave for the weekend?
“They don’t
give us much notice on these things,” Ms. Peters explained. “Less chance of
anyone finding out about the camp and causing problems for us.” She paused as
we rounded the corner, and when it was clear there was no one within earshot,
she continued. “So our cover is that there is a national environmental conference
going on in Toronto for high school students across the country. Our school has
been chosen to send a group to represent our area. You will be the volunteers
going on the trip, although you won’t really be going. You’ll go to training
camp instead.”
“Won’t they
notice if our group doesn’t show up to this conference thing?”
“We’ll be
sending in five young Interpol agents to replace you for the three-day conference.”
“Why five?
Aren’t there only three of us? Who else is going?” I asked.
“Two seniors
from our school. They’re also gifted. You’ll have an opportunity to get to know
them on the trip.”
“So, Rachel’s
going too, right?” Noah asked casually, although his face turned pink. I tried
not to laugh.
“Yes, Rachel
will be going.” Ms. Peters peered at him over her glasses. “You like her?”
I laughed, “Does
he? Does he ever.”
Noah threw a
punch at me and scowled, “Rachel's her daughter, dude.”
Ms. Peters let
out a laugh. “It's okay, Noah. You're a good kid, so I don't mind. It's those
other boys, like her ex-boyfriend, that I don't like her being around.”
“Her ex wasn't
a good guy?” Noah asked.
“Well, I
shouldn't really say anything bad about him. Let's just say that he was a good
kid at one point. He was a jealous boyfriend though, and jealousy will ruin
you. Rachel broke up with him. She is much too smart for guys like that.”
Noah nodded in
agreement.
There was a
silence, then Ms. Peters continued, “Jake, I understand that you have a girlfriend—Anna
Taylor, is it?”
I felt my face
get warm and my hands start to tingle at the mention of her name. “Yes, Anna
Taylor. Do you know her?”
“I've heard of
her. Seen her around the school. She's quite a cute little thing, isn't she?”
Ms. Peters winked at me.
“I think the
word is beautiful,” I said, trying to suppress a grin. Given the opportunity, I
could talk for hours about Anna. Tell her anything she wanted to know. I worked
at slowing my heartbeat so I could hear Ms. Peters continue.
“I wanted to
talk to you about that, Jake. I know you care a lot about Anna and this might
be really hard for you to hear, so I apologize in advance.” She stopped
Similar Books
