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I shake my head, then pause. “Yes and no. No because they abandoned me. They suck and they’re not worth thinking about. But yes because I wonder if they have the same mind reading ability as I do. I’m just lucky my dad was working the night I got dropped off. He saved me from a life of foster care.”
Parker grows silent beside me and I wonder what he’s thinking.
The thought makes me laugh.
Parker glances over. “What?”
“You got quiet and I was wondering what you were thinking.” I can’t help but smile. “It’s so strange to not know. But I’m also really happy that I don’t.”
He pulls into a parking spot. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m glad you can’t read my thoughts. I have enough people in my head already.”
“What—”
He gets out before I can ask him what he means by that.
I start to open my door, but Parker is there, opening it for me.
“Thanks,” I say, as I climb out.
He grabs my bag from the backseat. I start to take it from him, but he slings it over his shoulder, motioning for me to walk first.
“What did you mean by you have enough people in your head?” I ask.
“Nothing,” Parker answers.
I glance back at him, seeing his shoulders squared and his lips pressed firmly together. I realize then that I’m not going to get an answer out of him. Not wanting to argue with him, I decide to let it go. At least for now.
Parker opens the door to the school for me.
“Thanks,” I mumble, lowering my head.
I am so dreading going into the hallway with Parker at my side. I know that the kids are going to be curious. And their thoughts are going to be so loud.
As soon as Parker and I walk inside, I’m hit with a wall of voices—so many that I can’t make them all out, they’re just a roar. I know they must be curious about seeing Parker and me together.
The room spins and I stumble forward. Parker grabs onto my arm and instantly the voices vanish and I am left with a peaceful silence.
His hand slides down my arm and he laces our fingers together. I try to ignore how my stomach tightens at the movement. This isn’t romantic—he’s just doing this because of what I told him. He’s trying to help me.
I ignore the curious looks of others as we head toward class.
“Are you going to be okay during first period?” Parker asks me, a frown playing on his lips as we get closer to my classroom.
I nod. “Yeah. I’m a survivor. I can handle the voices.”
He sighs. “But I don’t want you to have to handle it.”
We stop just outside the door. I hold up our intertwined hands. “Just you doing this helps. Thank you. I know that people are going to read into it more than they should, but we know the truth.”
“I don’t care what any of these idiots think.” He pulls me closer to him, lowering his voice. “These kids aren’t even in our world, Henley.”
Once again, I wonder what he means, but I get the feeling he will be annoyed if I asked.
I open my mouth to say something when I hear a huff behind me. I turn around and see Will standing there. He’s got his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes are narrowed at Parker and me.
Yikes. And I really thought the two of us were making progress on becoming friends.
Parker isn’t at all put off by Will’s bad attitude.
