Second Sight by Maria Rachel Hooley

elbows, probably trying to lead me
back to Emily.
    “ Leave me alone!” I jerk
out of his grip, and this time he lets me go, free to stumble as I
will. I keep brushing the tears away, but there are always more. I
can’t seem to stop crying. But at least I can see Griffin through
the haze where he sits on a bench, reading a book. I’d call his
name, but he’s probably wearing his headphones and wouldn’t hear a
word I said, so what’s the point?
    It’s only when I stand a couple of feet from
him he even looks up, realizing I’m there. “Hey? That
was…brief.”
    “ Yeah, well, I’m ready.
I’ve had about all the therapy I need.”
    He looks beyond me where Scott and Emily
stand, talking. Although there is a lot of noise in the gym, I can
tell by the proximity of their bodies they are purposely trying to
keep quiet. Once or twice, one of them shoots me a look, which only
makes me madder.
    “ You sure they agree with
that?”
    “ Doesn’t matter. I told
Jimmie I’d try therapy, and I did. It’s not my fault it didn’t
work.” I start walking toward the door, not waiting for Griffin,
but he manages to catch me before I reach the door and blocks my
path.
    “ Did you really give it a
try, or are you just saying that? You weren’t in there that long.”
He frowns, and I know he’s worried. I just wish I could make him
see this isn’t the way to fix me. There’s no miracle cure waiting
around the corner to the old Lizzie.
    “ You don’t get it, Griffin.
She can’t help me. No one can. It’s going to take time and space.”
Even though his hand is on the door, I thrust it open. While I know
he’s not exactly thrilled with my attitude, I don’t think he wants
to make a scene that’ll cause our ‘favorite’ cop to pin me
again.
    I know he follows me, and I wait for him at
his car, wishing my world could be put back together, but I don’t
see that happening. And the longer I’m alive, the more angels I
see—not that I care. If they can’t—or won’t—lead me to Lev, there
really is no point in seeing them at all.

Chapter Eight
    If I need proof that Tellico Plains is just
another version of Hauser’s Landing, my first day is it. The school
is an older building, lacking the renovation Hauser’s Landing was
giving to its school. Then again, while Hauser’s Landing was small,
this one has it beat. With under a thousand people living here, I
won’t just fade behind other students. Although I don’t see lots of
Native Americans in the mix, I do get the impression it’s not a big
deal. Rather, I am more worried that if a teacher decides to go
psycho on me, there’s no place for me to hide.
    Still, I’m grateful no reputation precedes
me, and that the secretary doesn’t force an aide to give me the
grand tour, probably because she figures it’s the first day of
school and there are going to be a lot of lost students wandering
around. No point in designating me as “special.” I tend to think
I’m pretty self-sufficient. Of course, as I walk from the office to
my locker, I go through the usual fanfare of being the new girl and
all the guys paying extreme attention, probably out of boredom more
than anything else.
    As I have gotten to school an extra twenty
minutes early, I have no problem checking in, finding my locker,
and slipping into my first class, English, before the first bell
rings. To me, it’s just easier sitting behind my desk, waiting for
class to begin, rather than standing awkwardly in the hall,
watching people watch me.
    Once the first bell rings, students begin
drifting through the doorway, at first one or two at a time but
then a cluster of three with Sarah, the girl from the community
center, standing in their midst, still wearing her goth best
enters. Her golden hair contrasts sharply with the black, baggy
clothes with skulls and crossbones all over them, and the heavy use
of black eyeliner, black lipstick, and black nail polish give her
skin a translucent look.
    Then