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“Did you bomb your audition?” Jemmy asked sympathetically.
“Yes, no, I don’t know,” I lamented. “What I was talking about was that torture class. Why do I have to take phys ed again?!”
Jemmy and Jax laughed simultaneously. “Why don’t you sit down, honey. I’ll go get our food. What are you in the mood for? Burger, salad, Asian, Pizza?”
“A burger,” I said decisively. “I need all the extra calories I can get. Why didn’t anyone warn me!”
“I tried to,” Jemmy said smugly. “I’ll take a cheeseburger too!” she smiled at Jax.
He gave her an annoyed look. “Really?”
“What?” she shrugged innocently. “You’re already going that way.”
Jax shook his head but still left to get our food.
Jemmy giggled. “Come on, I’ll show you where we sit,” she took my hand and led me to a long table where Ben, Rick, and Taylor were.
I froze when I saw Tamara at the other end.
Jemmy followed my line of vision and made a scoffing noise. “Ignore her,” she said. “She’s part of the group. Even though mommy and daddy divorced, the kids still need a happy life.”
“What?!” I asked, completely mystified.
She grabbed my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. “This is high school, but not a normal high school. We’ve been together most of our lives. We are a dysfunctional family. We date, we break up, we get over it. No use breaking up the group over a break up.”
I nodded in understanding. “If she says one catty word, so help me,” I huffed as I sat down on the same side of the table and as far away from her as possible.
Ben, Rick, Taylor, and some guy I never met were seated across from us. I made sure to leave the end seat for Jax and Jemmy sat on my other side in front of Rick.
“Hey, Blake!” Ben smiled. In the light of day and sober, I now saw that he was the boy next door cute with dark hair that fell in his eyes but was still short enough not to look too stereotypically rocker boy or hippy. He had puppy dog, soulful brown eyes, and an open, friendly face. He even had a nice physique from playing football. “I was just telling the guys that you are coming out to practice tomorrow night.”
“Saw some of your material online, you sound sick,” the fourth guy said. “I’m Mike by the way. I play the drums.”
“Hi, Mike,” I smiled. “I would shake your hand, but I don’t think I can move my arms just yet.” I grimaced. Yes, I was being slightly dramatic, but the pain in my arms was great enough for me not to want to move my arms.
Jemmy guffawed. “First day, and first phys ed class,” Jemmy explained.
The guys grimaced. “Oh, yeah. Unless you play a sport, you’re kind of screwed.” Rick said sympathetically.
I frowned. “I never played a sport. I used to like swimming, but I never tried to compete in it.”
“The swim team already had try outs,” Jemmy said with glee. I really think she was taking pleasure from my pain.
“Wait,” I said suspiciously. “How do you get out of phys ed, but I’m stuck in it?”
She gave me a coy smile. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“They consider her nutrition class sufficient enough to count as being proactive in her health and wellness,” Ben explained with a look of chagrin.
“She makes sure she passes her class enough to remain out of phys ed or participates in sports,” Taylor added.
“How can taking a class that you sit down in be sufficient enough to make you physically strong?” I asked, mystified.
“She manipulates electronics,” Rick looked at Jemmy. “No offense, but it doesn’t require too much physical exertion. She still gets tired, or hungry, and may have other…desires, but it’s not the same as if you…” And right before my eyes, there were two Rick’s. He had multiplied himself.
My jaw dropped and just as quickly as he had multiplied he was back to normal. I looked around. “Wait, did that just happen? Are you allowed to use your gift out in the open like that?”
“No,” Jax said sternly as he took his seat. He handed Jemmy and me our burgers, fries, and soft drinks. “There are a lot of us here, and all of the norms know about us, but we try to keep it in the designated areas and classroom environments.”
