Paranormal Anthology With a TWIST (3 page)

I’ve never met someone
like you, Ella. Someone… someone like me actually
, he thought as he
looked down and lightly tapped his finger on the table.

Someone like you?
You mean… are you a soul seer?

He turned slightly in my direction, smiled, and winked. He winked
and I swooned. Shit. I never swoon.

Do you have a name?
I thought as I
turned my false-attention towards the teacher babbling at the front of the
room. I was definitely not paying attention, but I didn’t need him calling me
out again.

Jonah. Jonah
Chantrey. You really think my eyes are like dark swirls of shimmering emeralds?

I blushed as I smiled and bit my lip.
Nice to meet you, Jonah. I’ve never met someone else like me either…
other than my mother.

“Well, class,” Mr. Burns interrupted, causing me to start slightly
in my seat. Yeah, saying I was on edge was a complete understatement. “Please
work on your first charcoal life study over the weekend. There are no
expectations. I just want to see where your skill levels are.”

I picked up my sketchbook and bag as I flashed a small smile at
Jonah and made my way to the door.

Chapter Three

Ella! Wait!
Jonah’s voice
practically yelled in my head, causing me to jump in surprise. It really was
loud when he projected so strongly. Slowly, I turned and looked in his
direction. Girls were cutting him off and attempting to make conversation with
the hot new student. He murmured ‘excuse me’s and ‘pardon’s as he turned
sideways to dodge their obtrusive bodies. Through his unwanted interactions he
thought,
I’d like to talk with you some
more. Just wait a sec.

I smiled as I watched him dodge all the bloodthirsty girls
tripping him up on his path to me. It really was comical.

As he approached, he grabbed my hand and laced his fingers through
mine causing me to look at him with wide, stunned eyes. Before I could think my
protest, he projected,
Just play along,
please. I need them to think I’m taken. I want them to think I’m with you.

He wanted them to think he was with me? Nobody has ever shown an
interest in me. It’s as if I’ve been nothing but an invisible spec to everyone
recently.
Get ahold of yourself, Ella.
He’s just trying to get away from all the trolls in the room. You just happen
to be his escape route.

I just smiled as I boldly stood on my tiptoes and pecked him on
the cheek. If I was going to pretend, I was going to do it right and have some
fun in the process.
As you wish, Mr.
Chantrey.

I could prominently hear the vulgar protests coming from the flock
of girl-minds behind us as we exited the classroom door together. He continued
to hold my hand as we walked into the bright sun outside of the art
building—both of us grinning like fools.

“So, Jonah. Are you actually taken?” I asked confidently as I
walked with him hand-in-hand.
Please,
please say no.

“Not yet,” he answered as he smiled broadly and thought,
but I’d like for you to take me
.

I glanced at him with a puzzled look, wondering what he meant, as
I asked, “Do you have another class right now?”

“Not right now. My next class…” he paused as he took his schedule
out of his pocket with one hand while still holding my hand with the other. “My
next class is in two hours in the ceramics classroom. I think it is in that
same building where we just were, right?”

I nodded and mentally did cartwheels in my head. “Sounds like we
have very similar schedules. I’m in the same class,” I said as we headed toward
the courtyard at the center of the campus.

The courtyard was very large and spacious, with spokes of
sidewalks separating the well-manicured lawns and leading to the various
surrounding buildings. A few scattered oak trees provided minimal shade, but I
enjoyed basking in the sun for a moment. The classrooms were usually cold and
the sun provided enough warmth for my fingers and toes to thaw.

I made my way over to one of the larger oak trees and sat down on
the grass. This tree in particular had several vines of jasmine twining around
its trunk, making it smell absolutely divine. I closed my eyes and took in a
deep, refreshing breath, smelling the natural perfume of the flowers lingering
in the air. Jonah let go of my hand and sat down next to me with grace.

The loss of his hand made me frown, but he only kept his hands off
me for a moment.

“Is Ella short for anything?” Jonah asked, turning toward me and
touching my shoulder as he fingered one of my errant curls.

My heart thumped loudly as I nodded and thought,
Orella
.

“Interesting,” he said as he stared off with a pensive look on his
face.

“What’s so interesting about my name?” I asked as I enjoyed his
touch on my shoulder and his fingers absently running through my hair. I closed
my eyes and leaned into him slightly, probably adoring his touch just a little
too much.

“I guess you don’t know the meaning behind Orella?” he asked as he
looked at me with wonder. I just shook my head and projected for him to get on
with it.

He chuckled as he explained. “Orella, I believe, is a Latin
variant of oracle. An oracle’s telepathic abilities vary from simple
clairvoyance and mindreading to precognition and prophecy to telekinesis and
mind control.”

“How do you know all this?” I asked.

“My father is a precog and sees visions of the future. He has
shoved our family history down my throat since I hit sixteen. I’m surprised you
haven’t been taught this stuff. Didn’t you say that your mom is one of us?”

I nodded and looked down at his hand that now gently traced my
knee. As much as I enjoyed his random touches, the mention of my mother brought
back that feeling of displacement. Complete and utter madness. “My mom died
from a car accident when I was nearly fourteen. I didn’t even know what I was
until the day she died. I thought I was just crazy.”

His hand tightened its grip on my knee as he pushed his apology
into my mind, his thoughts filled with pity.
I’m so sorry to hear that
.

Suddenly, I felt very exposed. Too exposed. Not only could this guy
read my thoughts, but now he knew about the one thing that still wakes me up
crying each morning.
Now I’m sure he
thinks I’m a weak little girl with that revelation.
I stood up and began to
wring my fists nervously by my sides as I shifted my feet from left to right. I
suddenly felt the urge to bolt. Coward’s way out, I know. But, if it meant
choosing between being a coward or a big crybaby, I’d choose to be a coward any
day. Talking about my mom was a sure-fire way to start the waterworks. And I’d
be damned if I started crying in front of this man. I needed to go. Now.

“I’m sorry, Ella. We don’t need to talk about her. I don’t want
you to leave.”

Can we walk around
instead?
I projected.
I can’t stay
still. Walking will get my mind off her. We have this entire campus. I’d like
to walk.

He nodded as he stood and offered me his hand along with a
sympathetic smile.

For the next hour and a half, we walked and talked about nothing
and everything. While grabbing a bite to eat at the cafeteria, we laughed about
past experiences with our soul-seeing gifts. Specifically the funny instances
we’ve had with mistaking thoughts for audible interaction. The fact I had
someone to talk to about my abilities made me feel like a weight had been
lifted off my shoulders.

In ceramics class, we had free time to spend on the throwing
wheel. He was magnificent with his hands, which brought up all kinds of
thoughts in my head. I suddenly wished he wasn’t clairvoyant because, no doubt,
he knew where my perverted mind was headed.

Of course, I couldn’t hide my amazement of his talents, which
caused his ego to flare and clay to fly across the room when he attempted to
show off. If his goal was to make me laugh, it worked. After he was done
playing, he actually made a rather beautiful vase, which was taller than
anything I could ever attempt to make.

It amazed me we had so much in common. As we were both quietly
working on our own pieces, my mind started going a mile a minute, wondering
where he came from, why he was just now starting in the middle of the college
semester, why I hadn’t been blessed with his charm until now… Then I began
thinking about his dad being a precog.
Jonah,
did your dad see this connection between us before it happened?

No. Well, if he did,
he didn’t tell me. But, he usually needs to have some sort of association with
a subject in order to receive a premonition. Of course, he associates with me.
But since we are so very close and emotionally involved, he doesn’t always read
me well,
Jonah projected as he looked up at me from his wheel. Our eyes
locked for several moments before he added,
you
have the most beautiful amethyst eyes. I could stare at them for hours, like
stars blanketing the night sky.

His striking words made me feel beautiful as I smiled and looked
down at my fingers pulling the sides of my bowl up with careful consideration.

You don’t need my
words to know that you’re beautiful, sweetness.

Yeah, this man was going to be the end of my self-control. Every
nerve in my body was aware of his presence. And his charm was borderline
cliché, but I could care less. Cliché or not, us women love to be showered with
compliments and affections.

You want to go do
something tonight? Maybe dinner?
I asked as we continued throwing.

I have a better idea
, he thought with a
huge smirk on his face.

Oh boy! He didn’t need to twist my arm. I’d probably follow him to
the moon and back if it meant I could keep staring at that smile of his.

After class, we exchanged cell numbers and I gave him my address
so he could pick me up for a
surprise
,
as he put it.

After my mom passed, my dad sort of went bat-shit crazy. He
apologized to me, but said he couldn’t be around me because I reminded him too
much of mom. In all honesty, I understood. It still hurt, but I wasn’t stupid.
I knew I was a near spitting image of my mother. Not just physically, but also
with my mannerisms and how I talked. I was proud to be like her. To be molded
in such close likeness of a strong, beautiful woman was the highest of compliments.
But with that pride also came sorrow, because it meant my dad couldn’t stand to
be near me.

I started living with my Aunt Sybil after my mom’s death. Our
family was rather well off, so my aunt never had to worry about supporting me.
Throughout the years, my father continually funded my account and hers.
Thankfully, I had no problems paying for school and no need to work while I got
my degree.

Just because I live with my aunt, didn’t mean I ever got to see
her though. She had always been somewhat of a free spirit and marched to the
clangs of her own tambourine. Once I became a legal adult, she started spending
most of her time traveling. No matter. I didn’t mind being alone. As a matter
of fact, I welcomed the solitude.

That is, until my chance meeting with a green-eyed god today. Now
I craved to be near him.