were guaranteed a full-ride scholarship to the university of their choice: Harvard, Yale, anywhere.
“My parents were way excited, but told him that they could never afford the tuition. The man said not to worry about it, that they were offering me a full scholarship, including books, room, and board. All I had to do was show up.”
Ostin looked jealous. “But you’re only in ninth grade.”
“That’s what my parents said, but the man claimed that starting their students young is one of the reasons their students are so suc-cessful and that any student enrolled in their school could pretty much name their college and salary. My parents told him they needed to think about it, because they didn’t want me to be away.”
“What’s the name of the school?” I asked.
“The Elgen Academy of Pasadena.”
“Elgen?” I looked again at the brochure.
Taylor looked afraid. “What have I gotten myself into?”
“You’ve got to erase everything off your computer as soon as you can,” Ostin said.
I shook my head. “If it’s them it’s already too late for that. You better tell your mom and dad.”
“Tell them what? That their daughter has super powers and some big corporation is hunting her down?”
“If that’s what it takes,” I said.
She leaned back against her locker and slid down until she was sitting on the ground. Her eyes began to fill with tears. I sat down next to her. Without looking at me she said, “I’m scared.”
“Listen,” I said. “My mother has been in tough spots before. She’ll know what to do. We’ll pick you up from cheerleading and we’ll figure it out tonight.”
Taylor wiped her eyes. “Okay. That’s a good plan.”
“Trust me, it will be okay.” I looked at the brochure again. “May Ikeep this?”
She nodded. I folded it up and put it in my pants pocket.
Just then a voice came over the PA system. “Michael Vey to the front office. Michael Vey.”
Taylor looked at me with wide eyes.
“What’s that about?” Ostin asked.
“I have no idea.”
14. A Change of Plans
I walked to the front office about as enthusiastically as a man on his way to the electric chair—and with about as much hope. I was ticking like mad—blinking and gulping. As I stood in the waiting room, the school secretary, Mrs. Hancock, walked out of Mr. Dallstrom’s office. She greeted me with a smile. “Hello, Michael,” she said. “Mr. Dallstrom will be right with you.”
I swallowed. I was afraid that was the reason they were calling me. I had no idea why Dallstrom wanted to see me—I hadn’t been shoved in a locker for days.
A moment later he came to his door. He was smiling, which looked frighteningly out of place, like lipstick on a pig.
“Michael, come in.”
“Yes, sir.” I followed him inside his office. He sat back in his chair and smiled again.
“Have a seat,” he said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.
“How’s school going?”
I looked at him, wondering if some alien being had taken over his body. I slowly sat down. “It’s fine.”
“Great. I just wanted to tell you that your detention has been canceled. I’m sorry about that little misunderstanding. And Jack and his cohorts will be doing their time. I guarantee they won’t be bothering you anymore.”
“Oh.” It was all I could think to say. “Thank you.”
He stood and walked around his desk to me, putting his hand on my shoulder. “Michael, we’re proud that you’re a member of our student body.”
Now I was certain I was being punked. “You are?”
“Absolutely we are.” Dallstrom leaned back against his desk. “Michael, I have some terrific news. Two of Meridian’s pupils have been awarded the prestigious C. J. Hatch Scholarship to the acclaimed Elgen Academy in Pasadena, California. And you are one of them.”
He stuck out his hand. “Congratulations.”
I gulped. How had they found both of us? I timidly offered my hand. When I could speak I
“My parents were way excited, but told him that they could never afford the tuition. The man said not to worry about it, that they were offering me a full scholarship, including books, room, and board. All I had to do was show up.”
Ostin looked jealous. “But you’re only in ninth grade.”
“That’s what my parents said, but the man claimed that starting their students young is one of the reasons their students are so suc-cessful and that any student enrolled in their school could pretty much name their college and salary. My parents told him they needed to think about it, because they didn’t want me to be away.”
“What’s the name of the school?” I asked.
“The Elgen Academy of Pasadena.”
“Elgen?” I looked again at the brochure.
Taylor looked afraid. “What have I gotten myself into?”
“You’ve got to erase everything off your computer as soon as you can,” Ostin said.
I shook my head. “If it’s them it’s already too late for that. You better tell your mom and dad.”
“Tell them what? That their daughter has super powers and some big corporation is hunting her down?”
“If that’s what it takes,” I said.
She leaned back against her locker and slid down until she was sitting on the ground. Her eyes began to fill with tears. I sat down next to her. Without looking at me she said, “I’m scared.”
“Listen,” I said. “My mother has been in tough spots before. She’ll know what to do. We’ll pick you up from cheerleading and we’ll figure it out tonight.”
Taylor wiped her eyes. “Okay. That’s a good plan.”
“Trust me, it will be okay.” I looked at the brochure again. “May Ikeep this?”
She nodded. I folded it up and put it in my pants pocket.
Just then a voice came over the PA system. “Michael Vey to the front office. Michael Vey.”
Taylor looked at me with wide eyes.
“What’s that about?” Ostin asked.
“I have no idea.”
14. A Change of Plans
I walked to the front office about as enthusiastically as a man on his way to the electric chair—and with about as much hope. I was ticking like mad—blinking and gulping. As I stood in the waiting room, the school secretary, Mrs. Hancock, walked out of Mr. Dallstrom’s office. She greeted me with a smile. “Hello, Michael,” she said. “Mr. Dallstrom will be right with you.”
I swallowed. I was afraid that was the reason they were calling me. I had no idea why Dallstrom wanted to see me—I hadn’t been shoved in a locker for days.
A moment later he came to his door. He was smiling, which looked frighteningly out of place, like lipstick on a pig.
“Michael, come in.”
“Yes, sir.” I followed him inside his office. He sat back in his chair and smiled again.
“Have a seat,” he said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.
“How’s school going?”
I looked at him, wondering if some alien being had taken over his body. I slowly sat down. “It’s fine.”
“Great. I just wanted to tell you that your detention has been canceled. I’m sorry about that little misunderstanding. And Jack and his cohorts will be doing their time. I guarantee they won’t be bothering you anymore.”
“Oh.” It was all I could think to say. “Thank you.”
He stood and walked around his desk to me, putting his hand on my shoulder. “Michael, we’re proud that you’re a member of our student body.”
Now I was certain I was being punked. “You are?”
“Absolutely we are.” Dallstrom leaned back against his desk. “Michael, I have some terrific news. Two of Meridian’s pupils have been awarded the prestigious C. J. Hatch Scholarship to the acclaimed Elgen Academy in Pasadena, California. And you are one of them.”
He stuck out his hand. “Congratulations.”
I gulped. How had they found both of us? I timidly offered my hand. When I could speak I
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