Chapter 4

Though the day started exciting it quickly become boring and average after the excitement from earlier that morning died down. Classes as always were mundane, and lunch was decent. After fifth period, Thomas went to his locker to put his books away, no homework, meant no extra weight load. That and for whatever reason it was school policy to leave your books in your locker unless you needed them for homework or a project assignment.

"What's up loser," Jeff said leaning against the locker. "Where them, pretty girls, I seen you around with?"

"Oh crap," Thomas muttered under his breath. He tried closing his locker shut and putting the lock back on it, but Caleb and Liam were on the other side of him and held the locker open while Jeff shoved him in. He struggled, uselessly, but once he was in the locker slammed shut, and the dial lock was tossed on. It clicked shut, and he was trapped.

He pounded on the locker as his bullies walked away snickering, "You are such an ass!" He shouted.

After all fell silent a muffled voice echoed from a little further down the hall. "Don't bother we'll be stuck in here until a janitor comes by or until after fifth period."

Not this time, Thomas thought.

Using his TK blindly was tricky but he got the hang of it soon enough. The hardest part was making sure he got the right combination on his lock. It took him several tries but eventually he got it and the lock unclicked. Moments later he was free.

After he was out, he called out to the kid who talked to him earlier. When he found the locker he asked, "Okay what's the combination?"

"Twenty-two right, fourteen left, two right."

Thomas got the lock off and opened the locker, and out fell a curly haired ginger boy with pasty skin and freckles all over his face. He took a breath through his inhaler then held out his hand. "Thanks, my name is Larry."

"Thomas," he said shaking Larry's hand.

"How'd you get out?"

"Magic trick," Thomas said grinning. "Anyways I got to get to class, bye."

Thomas was twelve minutes late for sixth period English and was marked down. When he lied about why he was late, saying he was in the bathroom, some of the class chuckled. He took his seat and dropped his head as low as he could.

After school, Thomas met Normia at her car. She was blasting the music again and didn't hear him get inside or ask where Miranda was. After several minutes of waiting Thomas tapped Normia on the shoulder after she turned the music down he asked, "Where's Miranda?"

"She sent me a text, saying she'll be late," Normia answered. "Which reminds me, you have a phone right?"

"It’s a Tracphone, for emergency only."

Normia held her hand out. Thomas sighed and reluctantly handed her his phone. "Hold the Pound symbol till it unlocks."

After fiddling with his phone for a few minutes, Normia said, "Okay mine and Miranda's numbers are set in here, and you have plenty of minutes stored up that you can afford a few texts or calls now and again." She then tossed it back to him carelessly as Miranda showed up.

The ride home was the same as always, music blasting so loud you can hardly hear your own thoughts while no one spoke. Thomas didn't mind too much though he enjoyed most of the music, it beat the radio. When they dropped him off, Normia turned the music down and turned to him to say, "Party at my place this Saturday evening. Going to be alcohol and cute girls, just don't drink too much and puke on anyone, and you'll do just fine."

"I don't know I mean I have homework, and if my dad catches me out past curfew, he'll kill me." Literally he might.

"So sneak out, it's a party. A little teenage rebellion never killed anyone."

He hesitated to answer and Miranda jumped in, "Come on I'll be there too so you won't be entirely alone. You don't have to stay long. It'll be fun."

He sighed, "Alright, alright an hour tops, maybe two. But if my dad calls I need to get home fast, and one or both of you are covering for me saying you're helping me on a school project at your house."

Normia snickered, "Hah I knew there was some rebel in you. I'll meet you at the South end of Lannis Bridge Saturday at eight-thirty."

"I'll be there," Thomas said climbing out of the car.

He went up to his room and put his stuff away then grabbed a snack before dinner. While he waited, he planned his escape, if his dad was working he could go out the front door. But seeing how unlikely that was he'd have to go out his window, on the second floor.

The ladder would be locked in the shed outside, and his dad kept the key on his keychain. And he had nothing strong enough to tie a rope to from his room; his bed was just a box spring and mattress on the floor. His last hope would be the redwood tree outside. One of the thicker branches was just in a position that he should be able to leap out the window and grab hold of it.

For whatever reason, Saturday was looking more exciting by the minute.

The next day at school Miranda was off on a field trip after 3rd period and wouldn't be back until the end of school. So it was just him at lunch.

He never saw the carton of milk coming for him, only felt it explode against the side of his head and cover him with chocolate milk. Half the cafeteria burst into laughter at his humiliation. He turned to see the culprit was none other than Jeff, who was the only one at his table without a milk carton, or anything to drink. Jeff and the brothers Caleb and Liam laughed the loudest of all.

He clenched his fist in rage, glaring at Jeff. The table he was at began trembling until he got control of himself and rushed to the boy's bathroom to clean himself off. He rinsed his hair in the sink best he could then grabbed some paper towels to dry it off, but the dispenser was empty.

He punched the wall in rage, it hurt, but he ignored it. A moment later the door creaked open, and a boy with turtle cut brown hair and pale skin walked in. He offered Thomas a bathroom towel and said, "Just four more years huh?"

Thomas took the towel and said, "Thanks, Kellen."

"I have an extra shirt too if you want?"

Thomas was about to say "No" but then took another look at his shirt, it was almost half covered in chocolate milk. He pulled it off and rinsed it down in the sink then wiped the rest of himself dry and accepted Kellen’s shirt. They were about the same size.

"I saw the table shaking, and uhh, well I know about your Tome."

"My Tome?"

"The glowing book with the weird fantasy symbols on it. The one that gave you Telekinesis."

"How did you-"

"I got a book that just showed up to me one day too. It gave me the ability to read minds, but I can't turn it off. That's why I'm always listening to music and jittery. And quite frankly yes crazy, a little bit..."

Thomas gave him a sympathetic smile and said, "I'd be a little crazy too if I couldn't stop hearing everyone's thoughts all day."

"I think it's worse when everyone is a hormone adolescent thinking about sex half the time."

Thomas couldn't help himself but laugh, it wasn't funny, but he laughed all the same until tears came to his eyes. Kellen laughed the same way too. They wiped the tears from their eyes and, despite knowing who the other was, shook hands and formally introduced themselves.

"You should join me at lunch sometimes, me and Miranda."

"Thanks but the further away from people I am the better. Less voices in my head that way."

"That seriously sucks, is there no way to control it?"

Kellen shrugged, "I'm getting better control of it. See you around."

Kellen took his leave, and Thomas did the same a couple minutes later.