Gifted Connections 1

Jemmy must have been just as annoyed as I was because she finally said, “When I saw them last they actually started seeing some girls that they seemed really serious about.”

Courtney stopped short as we reached one of Ella’s classroom doors. “So Jace finally called it quits with Molly?” I could hear the surprise and disappointment in her voice.

Jemmy waved an airy hand. “They’ve been on the outs for a while now, now can we see Ella’s classroom?”

Courtney seemed to remember her job as she took us into Ella’s first room. They had created a unique learning environment for the primary school. They had a small student-teacher ratio and didn’t require the students to sit behind a desk for most of the day. They tried to balance the academics with physical activity and the arts. Their primary focus in Ella’s school was to find Ella’s areas of interest. Some of the children never became creatively inclined or even physically inclined, but they were encouraged to at least try to stimulate that area of the brain and give their bodies the required amount of stimulation to help them expel any excess energy.

As Courtney showed us the rest of the school, I could see Ella’s growing excitement. She was looking forward to Monday. We met her academics teacher, Trudy, and I immediately liked her.

“She has the ability to retain anything she sees or reads,” Jemmy informed me.

“It comes in handy with all my students,” Trudy said with a smile, but then looked at me shrewdly. “It’s been a long time since William Bell took anyone into the fold. I imagine you have a powerful gift.”

I shrugged a bit self-conscious. “So, I’ve been told.”

I think she was hoping I would divulge more, but I didn’t want to go into further details.

She must have realized this as she turned and introduced Ella to some of her classmates. “I’ll make sure I keep an eye on her. If her sister is powerful, I’m sure her gift will manifest as well. Jace and Jaxson Bell manifested quiet young. It’s possible.” She said quietly to me as we left her classroom.

I was unwilling to let her know I wasn’t technically her sister, but her cousin, and I didn’t let her know my gifts had manifested early as well.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully as we toured the rest of the school and the dorms. I didn’t think it would take long for Ella to want to move into the dorms. I wasn’t thrilled about living in the dorms, with someone I’ve never met, but at least she seemed neat.

Chapter 14

Jax: Are you coming to my game?

Me: I wasn’t aware you had a game. :-P

Jax: It starts at six. ;)

I was helping Drake as he started cooking dinner that night. He was making steak, a chopped house salad, and baked potatoes. My mouth salivated. I couldn’t remember the last time I had a steak.

“Are we going to Jax’s game tonight?” I asked as I went back to washing the romaine lettuce.

Drake still seemed hesitant around me and I hated feeling his unease. I had a sense he was just as confused as I was; like he didn’t know where to go from here. He blushed as he looked at me. “We normally do if it’s a home game. Do you mind if Rose comes?”

I felt a mixture of feelings in that moment. After what he had told me last night, I didn’t know why he was still with her. After our kiss and his confession, I thought he would start taking steps to break it off with her. I felt selfish in that moment. I really had no right to have any expectations of him. I couldn’t push him. I couldn’t allow him to know how much it bothered me that he was still with someone that would treat him so poorly. Whether she was doing it behind his back or not.

I reached out to him as he trimmed the edges of some asparagus and gently r

ubbed his shoulders. “I don’t mind.” At his skeptical look, I continued. “Honestly. I understand you have been with her for so long and that she will always mean something to you.”

He looked like he wanted to say something to me; a myriad of emotions crossing his face.

I physically felt his desire, sorrow, and uncertainty.

I reached up and grabbed his face so we were looking at each other in the eye. “You have to relax,” my voice was strained as I felt his emotions times ten. “I can feel everything you’re feeling.”

His jaw dropped. “Everything?”

I nodded. “Everything. Is that normal?”

He bent down and placed a sweet, exploring kiss on my lips, and as I went to open my mouth to allow him more access, we heard the door slam and the laughter of Rose, Jemmy, and Ella. He hastily stepped back and went back to cutting his asparagus.

“I don’t think any of this is normal for us. For any of us,” he said quietly to my back, as I turned to wash the potatoes.

“Hey, baby,” Rose skipped into the room and threw herself into Drake’s arms.