Chapter 2: The Hockey Stick Incident

Heidi's psychic powers are becoming stronger, and she nearly exposes her secret in a fit of rage which leads to a revelation about her best friend Beau's feelings for her.

I decided to try and embrace my psychic abilities the way Beau thought I should. Everyday after school he came over to my house and I practiced with my telekinesis. I could easily move small objects and liquids. Bigger objects with heavier masses took every ounce of my concentration to to lift or move. If I lost my focus for even a second then the object would fall.

Then, one morning, I sat up, yawning and stretching, stepped out of bed, and plummeted four feet to the hardwood floor below. I landed on my stomach. My whole body ached. I sat up slowly, my head spinning and throbbing. I gasped when I saw that everything in my room, from my bed to my desk, were floating. I blinked once and everything fell. I barely had time to scoot out of the way before my bed landed mere inches from my hand. It took me a minute to steady my breathing and my pounding heart. I lifted a shaky hand and tried to levitate the bed. With almost no effort at all it rose inot the air about three feet. I slowly put my hand back down and it crashed onto the floor with a resounding thud.

I didn't know what to make of it. Yesterday I couldn't have even lifted my bedside table, but now I could lift not only my bed but apparently my entire room. I raised both my hands, one focused on the bed, the other focused on the bedside table, and they both rose with ease. I heard footsteps in the hallway and immediately froze. I dropped the bed and the bedside table. The rucksack I was making had apparently not gone unnoticed. There was a knock at my door.

I managed a hoarse “Come in,” Before my mother flew into my room. Her pale face was a mask of concern as her red curls fell into her face. His chocolate brown eyes were huge. “What's going on in here?” She cried in exasperation.“Your father and I heard these horrible noises. Is everything alright? Are you hurt?”

“No, mom, I'm fine. I just...couldn’t find my favorite sweater and I was knocking some things over looking for it.” I lied. Even after years of lying to my parents to hide my psychic abilities I still wasn't very good at it. My mother just nodded though. “Well, alright, and if you're looking for your red sweater I washed it yesterday, it's probably still in the dryer.” She told me. She seemed too calm for a woman who just moments ago barged into her daughter's room after hearing horrible loud noises coming from inside of it. I wasn't going to question it though, my head hurt too much. I reached up and touched it. The pounding hadn't gone away, it had gotten worse.

My mother seemed to notice. “Are you feeling okay sweetheart?” She asked anxiously. I gritted my teeth and nodded. “It's just a little headache.” I told her. “Do you want to stay home from school?” She murmured. I shook my head no. The offer was tempting but I wanted to talk to Beau. “I'm really okay mom. Like I said, just a little headache. I'll take some aspirin or something.” I reassured her. I tried to smile but it seemed false even to me. Thankfully my mom was running late to work so she didn't push it.

Beau and I have gym class together. I was planning on pulling him aside and telling him about the sudden change in my telekinesis. Unfortunately, I didn't have the chance. Our teacher divided us up into two teams and gave us plastic hockey sticks. We were playing field hockey today.

I'm not very athletic so I try and stay out of everyone's way. Something else had changed though. I wasn't touching anyone but there were dozens of thoughts swimming around in my head. I couldn't make sense of them and they were very distracting. My headache began to intensify. My eyes searched the room for Beau. I zeroed in on him and saw that another boy had stuck his hockey stick out to trip him. Before I had time to react Beau went flying, his face smashing into the wall.

Fury bubbled up with in me. Without thinking I raised my hand and took control of the boy who'd tripped him's hockey stick. I used the stick to knock him over the head and when he was on the floor I continued to whack him with it. I could see the wide, horror filled eyes of my classmates as they watched the floating hockey stick beat the boy but I couldn’t stop.

A hand came down on my shoulder and I jumped, losing control. The hockey stick clattered to the floor. I spun around and my face was inches away from Beau's. He was glaring at me. I opened my mouth to defend my actions but I didn't get the chance before the teacher interrupted.

He blew his whistle. “Does anyone what to explain to me what the hell just happened?” he demanded. His face was red, definitely not a good sign.

No one answered. The teacher snorted. “Of course not! Who ever did it better own up or I'm giving all of you two weeks detention.” He threatened blackly. I swallowed hard. I didn't want to my classmates to suffer for my irrational act but how could I confess to doing it when I couldn’t explain how I'd done it?

Beau, being the incredible friend that he was and that I was so undeserving of, saving my rear end. He spoke up. “I did it.” He proclaimed. The teacher gazed at him skeptically. “He tripped me and I was mad so I...attacked him.”

“How did you do it?” The teacher asked. He crossed his arms across his chest, waiting. Beau looked at me. I plead with him silently, my eyes begging him to cover for me. He took a deep breath and looked at our teacher. “It's complicated, really. It's actually a magic trick. I've been studying since I was five. It's really hard to explain, impossible I'd venture. You'd have to be trained in magic like me to understand it.” He said. Wow, he really pulled that out of his a*s. I had to admit I was impressed.

“If it's really magic then let's see you do it again.” The teacher commanded him. He looked at me again and I nodded. He raised his hand and I did the same, trying to be discreet. I levitated one of the goal posts and then set it back down. It went much more smoothly than this morning. I was pretty proud of myself. The teacher looked convinced. He clapped. “Very nice, Mr. Ewans. You'll have to teach me how to do that.” The tone in his voice was sarcastic. “Sadly for you I can't let this go unpunished. I'm going to speak with the principal. If you're lucky you will only get a suspension. I'll be rallying for your expulsion.” He promised. I had no doubt he would. The only people he liked were jocks and Beau wasn't a jock.

Beau and I finally got a chance to talk after class. I could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't pleased with my stunt. “Heidi what were you thinking?” Was the first thing out of his mouth. I blushed and looked downwards in shame. “I wasn't.” I admit. “I saw him trip you and I got mad. I let my emotions over rule my common sense.”

“Do you realized how close you came to exposing yourself? You're damn lucky I was there to cover for you!”

“I didn't ask you to Beau. You didn't have to say anything.” I reminded him. He glared at me. “Of course I had to say something. That's part of being your friend; keeping your secret.” He told me. I felt instantly guilty. Beau shouldn't have to cover for me. I would always be grateful to him but I will never understand why he chose a psychic misfit like me as a friend. I mean, it's not like he couldn't find better, more normal friends.

“Beau, there's something I have to tell you.” I began. “Something's happened to my psychic powers. I woke up this morning and everything in my room was floating several feet off the ground!” I said. “Is that why you're all bruised?” He asked. He started to reach for my arm but then remembered that I didn't like to be touched and pulled away. I nodded in response to his question. “I fell about four feet out of bed.” I told him. “There's something else too though. This morning, in class, I could hear thoughts even though I wasn't touching anyone.”

“It's almost like your powers are...growing.” He murmured. “Can you read my mind now?” he asked. I shook my head. “It's been coming and going.” I said. He looked strangely revealed. I wondered what he was thinking about. I reached out and touched his hand. He recoiled from my touch the way that I usually recoiled from his. God she's so beautiful. She'd never agree to date me. How can you have a romantic relationship if you have a no skin-on-skin contact rule? Still, what I wouldn't give... I staggered backwards, his line of thoughts taking me off guard. I'd had no idea Beau thought of me that way. I briefly thought of us being together, as a couple, but just as quickly dismissed it. He was right, I couldn't be romantic without touch.

“Heidi!” he cried. “That's an invasion of my privacy!”

“I'm sorry, but you made me curious.” I said, sad but unrepentant. He shook his head, obviously disgusted with me. “What did you hear?” He demanded. I bit my lip, unsure what to say. I decided it was probably best to be honest. “You like me.”

“I thought I did, but now I'm not so sure. Heidi it's one thing if you accidentally read my thoughts, but deliberately listening to them is a whole other. You know if the situation was reversed I would never do that to you. “

“I'm sorry I was curious.” I shrugged. I didn't think it was such a big deal. Beau apparently did. He turns his back to me. “You don't know how hard it is for me to be your friend. Not because I have to cover for you, but because you're the only person I want to be with and you're the only person I can't be with.” He said. Suddenly I was angry.

“Are you insinuating that it's not hard for me? You think I like that I can't touch people? You think I don't want to have a normal relationship someday? This isn't a choice for me Beau.” I said sharply. He turned back to face me again. His eyes were no longer angry but sad. “I know, I'm sorry. I know this isn’t easy on you either. Just, try and stay out of my head if you can, alright?” He asked. I nodded. He did have a point. I wouldn't want him reading my mind. There are some things that are better left unheard and unsaid. Some secrets that should never be revealed.