Rewrite Redemption by J.H. Walker

another Pop Tart?” he asked, nodding his head at the table.
    I looked down and realized I’d been tearing my Pop Tart into little pieces instead of eating it. “No,” I said. “I think I lost my appetite.”
    “You’re a good kid, Autumn.” He kissed me on the head. “I just worry sometimes.” 
    He walked into the living room and I made my escape while I could. As awkward as that talk had been at least it was out of the way. We were safe for a while longer. The threat of losing Ipod scared me, to say nothing of thinking of him with that monster. There was no way I was going to let them break up my family, just because the Chihuahua was a bitch…no freakin way.
    I was still hungry, but there was cereal at my real house. I curled up on the sofa with a book and a bowl waiting for Lex and Ipod to get home. I wanted to tell them about the talk. I wanted to tell them that we were safe again for a while as far as our living arrangement. But mostly, I was eager to hear what they found out about Constantine. I decided that tomorrow, I’d go back to school and see for myself.
    Yeah, getting bold in my old age.
    As if.

I didn’t catch her before school and I didn’t sense her energy all morning. I couldn’t believe I let my power slip the day before. Obviously, I’d scared the kid . It had to have been the first time she’d ever encountered another Editor, let alone get slammed by a wave of energy. For me to have let that happen—what a moron.
    Smooth, move, Constantine.
    She was probably freaked. I had no idea how she held it together in the first place. Being an Editor and not knowing it would be utterly bizarre. Sort of like someone slipping you acid and then not having a clue what was happening when you started hallucinating. Editors have really complex nervous systems that are extremely sensitive. It takes a lot of management, and I gotta say, skill, to deal with the energy. I wondered how she pulled it off with no training.
    She attended school so she couldn’t be totally whacked. Still, I had no clue what the story was. I needed to tread carefully, curb my enthusiasm, and move slow. This was the one chance I had to fix my mess. I’d probably go the rest of my life without meeting another Shadow.
    The morning crawled by. Finally, fourth period came. I was the first student through the door. The class began to fill. Kids wandered to their seats, talking in groups or sneaking a final text moment before the teacher arrived. A few hastily scribbled down the last few homework answers. I waited…not exactly patiently. Again seconds before the bell, in walks the blonde. And I think, okay, this is it.
    But the blonde was alone.
    Her walk said self-assured, focused, and don’t mess with me. She scanned the room, her eyes hesitating briefly on me and then moving on. Other than that small flicker, she ignored me. She sat down slightly ahead of me to my right. I assured myself that just because they arrived together last time, didn’t mean they always came together. I watched the door expectantly, but no frickin dice.
    Damn! I let out my breath and slumped in my seat.
    I glanced at the blonde from time to time, but she seemed mesmerized looking at herself in a mirror. She didn’t turn my way even once, so I couldn’t make eye contact or anything. I needed to talk to this chick. I didn’t know what she knew. I didn’t know if she knew. When class ended, the blonde leapt up, but I was faster.
    “Can I talk to you for a minute?” I tapped her on the shoulder.
    She kept walking as though she hadn’t heard me.
    I followed, determined to make contact. “Please?” I asked, as politely as I could.
    She kept going for a couple of seconds. Then she slowed, hesitantly, as if she was considering whether or not to stop.
    “I just wanted to ask if your friend was okay,” I said, to the back of her head.
    She stopped but didn’t turn around.
    I walked to her side and held out my hand. “I’m Constantine,” I said,