Gifted Connections 1

“Okay,” Ben said. “One more time from the top and then we can call it quits.”

I groaned. I was hungry…again, and I heard Sue was treating us with some more Korean food. After having her bulgogi and egg rolls, I couldn’t wait to taste the next dish she was making us. “Food!” I exclaimed.

“Are you sure you don’t have an eating disorder?” Taylor joked. “I saw how much you ate at breakfast. How can you be hungry already?”

“I’m hungry too!” Mike chimed in. “And I ate breakfast here and before I left the school.”

“But you’re a teenage boy, it’s normal,” Ben’s eyes twinkled as he looked me up and down. “Not a five foot nothing, one-hundred-pound girl.”

“One ten,” I huffed jokingly.

“Have you been using your gifts lately?” Rick asked with narrowed eyes.

“Nope,” I answered, seeing where this conversation was leading.

“Yo,” Mike said with his eyes wide, like he just remembered something. “You can compel people and you didn’t even tell us!” He said accusingly. “Or have you been using it on us the whole time.”

I snorted. “It’s not like I can bring it up in normal conversation and you would know if I compelled you.” I rolled my eyes.

“Not necessarily,” Ben said slowly. He looked at my confused expression. “You have no clue the extent of your gift, do you?” He breathed in shock. “You do realize you can compel people to forget anything they may have done?”

I sat down heavily on the stool I had been standing next to. “I what?”

“Ughh,” Mike groaned in frustration. “What a waste of a gift if you don’t even know how to use it right.”

Ben rolled his eyes. “Mike, you would abuse it and you know it. I’m just surprised the Bell’s didn’t tell you that.” He looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“I just learned I had this gift recently, now let’s get this practice over with,” I insisted.

“How did you just find out? You’re what seventeen, eighteen? You should have known for years.” Rick stated.

I sighed. “I did things before I found out about my gift, but I thought they were a part of my imagination, I didn’t connect the dots. Now seriously, let’s practice.”

“You know, for a smart girl you can be pretty dense,” Mike mumbled.

Ben shot him a look but started to play, knowing I was over this conversation.

It didn’t take much twisting of arms for the boys to stay for lunch. Sue, with the help of Drake and the girls, had made rice, dak dori tang (spicy chicken) with potatoes, kimchi, and some steamed dumplings. We ate it family style with all the dishes piled in the middle of the dining room table and I fell in love with a new culture.

I really liked Sue and you could tell she preened at the compliments thrown her way. I was impressed at the amount of food they cooked for this mini army. Drake had happily become her sous chef for lunch preparations. He admitted to me that any exposure to any other culture's way of cooking was very enjoyable to him.

I still didn’t know why he didn’t change his major. I could see him being a great psychologist , but he loved cooking. I wondered once more, how much Rose had influenced him in his career choice.

I made sure to take a Snapchat for Troy of all the food. After last weekend, I knew he was an Italian with a Korean boy living inside him. He craved Korean as much as Italian.

He immediately sent back a pic of him with water splashed on his face. Crying, the text read.

I giggled.

Noah leaned over to look at what I was giggling about, and I showed him. He chuckled as well.

We annoyed Stacey…again. Surprise. Surprise.

“Have any idea what you’re wearing tonight?” Ben asked me as he leaned back in his chair.

“Clothes,” I decided to be evasive as I grinned at him around a mouth full of food.

He rolled his eyes. “Obviously.”