Gifted Connections 1

Troy came back downstairs and even Will couldn’t stop laughing. Troy was wearing one of Jemmy’s halter dresses, that was clearly too small.

“Laugh it up now, Misty,” his cheeks were pink. He modeled back in forth in front of us, until I finally told him, mentally, he could get dressed back into his normal clothes.

He left quickly as our laughter followed him up the stairs.

Drake called us for lunch a couple of hours later. I was satisfied with my progress. I had been able to produce fire and extinguish it and I had been able to pick up on Drake’s feelings, without him feeling distressed or in pain. I just needed to work on pushing feeling on people. I found it hard to push anything but anger. I had anger in spades.

I was famished and tired by the time I sat down. I still had to practice and perform my song. Then I needed to shower and get dressed for my date.

I was starting to feel nervous. Tonight, was my real first date and I didn’t really know Troy. Even though I had only known them for a short while, I think our connections helped me feel a bond with them I wouldn’t be able to form as quickly with anyone else.

Drake had made a delicious looking grilled chicken salad and I dug in with gusto.

Noah looked over at me in amusement. “Using our gifts can make us hungry, tired, or both.”

“Or,” Troy said with a wicked gleam in his eyes, “make our other appetites increase. Pretty much any of our baser instincts can be stimulated.”

I looked at him in confusion until Jemmy started laughing. I looked over at Drake and he was blushing. Jax was suddenly preoccupied with his salad. Noah just winked.

Understanding dawned on me and I didn’t even want to see Will’s expression. These people seemed entirely too comfortable with each other. Jemmy had a boyfriend spend the night the other night and I knew no normal brothers or father that took it all in stride like it was perfectly normal.

“Are you feeling tired?” Jemmy asked, feigning concern.

“She’s definitely hungry,” Noah commented.

Troy placed his hand on mine and opened his mouth.

“Kids,” Will warned. “Not in front of Ella,” he said, but I could see this talk didn’t bother him in the least.

Ella was looking on with interest. “What else can you be?”

Everyone laughed. I just wanted to bury myself in a hole, because they were right. I felt that low burn once more.

I took the rest of the early afternoon to practice my piece. I told everyone to meet me back in the music room at five, so that gave me plenty of time to practice, shower, and get dressed for tonight.

I was cont

ent that my piece had come together exactly as I wanted it to. Will showed me where his copier was so I could make copies of my sheet music for the board tomorrow. I was a bundle of nerves about performing the piece and nervous about my date when I went upstairs to take a long hot shower. I pulled out my hair straightener and plugged it in. I wanted it to be straight for tonight. It was the first time I was doing it myself.

I rifled through my closet, not knowing what I should wear. Jemmy would know what to wear in this situation.

As if I conjured her from my thoughts, Jemmy came into my room like the Tasmanian Devil.

“I’m going to start calling you Taz,” I stated.

She looked at me blankly.

“Like the Tasmanian Devil, fast and out of control,” I said mockingly slow.

She laughed. “Best nickname ever! But today I am your fairy godmother. Troy told me what the venue was, and I got you the perfect outfit.”

I looked at her warily.

“Why aren’t you dying to know where you’re going?!” she asked with exasperation.

“I like surprises,” I shrugged.

She pouted. “You’re no fun.”