The Clairvoyant

Twenty-five | 45 days, 17th hour

“Where are you going?”

Vincent's voice echoes in the empty hallway. I spin around just in time as my older brother pours a cup of coffee on a mug, he gestures to pour some for me but I shake my head. I don't drink coffee.

Except for those from Starbucks.

Placing my backpack on the table, I take an empty seat and say, “Cain's.”

“It's a school night,” He points out.

“It's Audrey's birthday.”

“Audrey's birthday?” Came my brother's voice, Ian, this time. He just walked in from the main door, his hair glistening from the drizzle that came just a while ago. He took a sip from Vincent's cup, but my older brother didn't complain.

I give him a nod, “Audrey's eighteenth birthday. You want to come?”

Ever since the incident at the hospital, with me banging my head accidentally during my fight with Blake, something triggered within me. I don't know what but something did. And that something makes me see images in my mind whenever my hands touch someone.

Anyways, about a few days ago, Ian dropped something.

The moment I touched his hand as we went to retrieve it, I'd seen an image of Audrey right away. As clear as stone. Either he was thinking about her then (which I must ask, “Why?”) or she just popped out.

Hadrian leBlanche seems a little surprised though.

“You want to invite me?”

“Audrey told me you guys could come,” I shrug, getting up from my seat and then pouring a cup of water for myself. “Besides, it's only me and the guys.” By “guys” I meant Chace, Tristan, and Blake. I see Chey come inside now, Blake behind her.

I raised an eyebrow.

“You ready?” Blake called from behind her.

“Ready for what?” Asks Chey.

“We're going to Audrey's,” I explain, slipping past her as Blake twirls his keys in his hand. “You want to come? Ian says he's coming,” I tell her even though I know my twin hasn't even said anything about it. But Ian throws his backpack on the sofa anyway.

He nods at me.

Vincent shakes his head though.

He can't come, I know that. He's got work after all.

“We're leaving,” I call to my siblings, opening the door as Blake follows behind me. It's still a little damp, the rain and wind blowing gently against my face but it still gives me the chills. “We'll be back late, Vince, but I've got keys.”

I shut the door behind me after he bids us his good bye.

It doesn't take long before we're at Cain's place. The lights are on, but there's hardly any cars parked at the side. Though if Bri and Audrey were still friends, I'm pretty sure the place would have been packed with kids from Memorial.

“Stella!”

My eyes flicker to the slightest movement of Audrey running down the steps to greet me. Behind her are Chace, Tristan and Jaime. They're all crossed arms, as if earlier there was a fight between them. I give Audrey a hug as soon as she's near.

“Happy birthday,” I tell her with a smile.

“Yeah, I guess it would have been happy if-” The sight of Ian stops her.

“Hey,”

She gives him a nod. “Hey to you too,” I give her a nudge but she swats it away with a grin. “I didn't know they were coming.”

“Should we go home then?” Chey says from beside Blake.

For a second Audrey breathes in heavily at the sight of him, but then shakes her head and sighs. “Nah, it's cool. Jaime made too much food anyways, and Cain and his parents aren't here.” She looks at me as if I'm the only one worth telling this too.

A small “oh” escapes my lips.

“Well, come on in, let's go.”

Ian shuffles behind me and a few steps away are Blake and Chey. As we enter their two story house, I blink a little bit before letting the dazzling furniture adjust with my eyes. And as I sigh a relief, something barks at the other side.

Chey and Ian screamed.

I take a step backward, wary.

Audrey on the other hand just c***s me an eyebrow.

“We're not good with... dogs,” I choose my words carefully, hiding behind Jaime who's beside Ian. He gives a stifled laugh but I punch his arm. “Ian, Chey and I are more of a cat person, or feline. Or something along those lines.”

“Can you please put that mutt away?” Chey yells, gripping Blake's arm.

“I don't think I can breathe,” Ian hyperventilates, but of course that's just over reacting.

Audrey nudges at Chace and Tristan, then they both let out a sigh of complaints. As Danny – if I call correctly – leaves the room and onto the balcony, I swear he's sending me death glares. Silent barking death glares.

“You okay?”

I gasp. “What?”

Jaime points at the bandages on my hand. “That.”

“Oh, I just got those these from boxing,” I lie, though I can't really tell him that I wrapped it around these things because I didn't really feel like seeing people's images conjuring inside my head every time I touch something significant.

“They don't hurt?”

“Not much,” I give him a grin. “Just that I don't want to show it to anyone else.”

“The foods over there,” Chace calls out from across the room, sliding to the kitchen as he and Tristan wash his hands. “They're not much, but I helped make some. And so did Audrey so you guys better have a health insurance.”

“Are you saying my cooking is bad?” Audrey snaps, glaring at him.

“I'm saying they just need to prepare for bathroom breaks.”

Tristan slaps Chace's back, laughing at the quarrel his two friends just made. “Dude, you're ruining the princess' birthday party.” I see Audrey tense up at the word “princess”. “Let it be. At least just pretend it tastes good, you know?”

Entering the kitchen, I look around and grab a plate for myself.

“A little down, are we?”

“It's cause Cain's not here,” Chace laughs.

I smack both boys on the head, handing them a plate afterwards. “No, it's just that everyone seems to be in high spirits it's just surprising a bit.” I bite my lower lip as I grab some salad and roasted ham. Then some apple bunnies.

“But seriously, what happened with your hand?”

These two know I don't do boxing. And if it were anyone else in the room, only Jaime would have been fooled into believing this is the cause of boxing. I feel my shoulder sag forward, but I let them shrug a bit later, saying, “No reason.”

“So you just randomly decided to wrap them up?”

“I just randomly decided to hide them away.”

Chace and Tristan share glances. “Right,” Tristan says slowly, obviously not letting this go. He gives Chace a reassuring firm grip on the shoulder. “She'll tell us sooner or later.”

“If I told you guys, you'd think I'd be nuts,”

Tristan gives me a warm alluring smile, then slowly he caresses my cheeks. “With beauty such as yours, I'd never image you crazy.” He sighs heavenly, his hand now slowly coming down my neck and tenderly onto my shoulder.

“If you think that's going to work, it's not.”

“At least I tried.” He smiles.

And then suddenly someone grabs it off, his grip firmly on Tristan's hand. “What are you doing?” His voice is eerily cold but Tristan doesn't hesitate to pull away. Instead he just chuckles and moves away, as if answering “Nothing”.

Cain Graichen turned his eyes over to mine, never leaving them, until his father gave him a pat on the shoulder. We all took a glance at his parents. As I expected, they were all wearing formal clothes or whatnot.

Even his mother, pray tell she's beautiful, wore a lovely long gown.

“This must be Stella,” His mother softly put on a kind smile. “I'm Jenny.”

I stare at her outstretched hand, then slowly shake it with mine. “It's nice to meet you,” I reply with a smile, hoping that my bandaged hands don't freak her out. I also wish the same thing with his dad, but unfortunately, it doesn't.

“What's happened to your hand?”

“Boxing,” Chace, Tristan and I reply lamely.

Steven Graichen raises an eyebrow at us, “And these two are?”

Chace nods like a gentleman, and so does Tristan. They each let out a shake of a hand to Steven, who's standing there, eyeing them like he was trying to see through them or something. “I'm Tristan Kurtz, and this Chace Roux. We're friends of your niece.”

“That's good to hear,” Jenny claps her hands as if not noticing Steven's actions. “I've always just noticed her female friends, Brianna. I'm wondering why she isn't here tonight though, but I'm glad I saw you today,” She's looking at me, and I can tell she's talking about me.

Obviously.

Glancing at Cain, I try to give him a hard stare.

“Well then, we'll be in our room if you need us,” Steven finally says, coughing a little and taking his wife's hand into his. They're already going up the stairs. “It's nice meeting you two, and great to see you're finally well again, Stella.”

“Same to you, sir,”

We watch them head upstairs, and as they disappear from the view, I can swear Tristan and Chace breathed out heavily. I twirled around just in time for Chace to drive a hand through his dark blue hair, sighing once more.

“Dude, your parents are like, stoic or whatever.”

“And I'm not?” Cain's eyes are cold.

Then I slap his shoulder and push him away. Up to his room. “Don't mind him,” I smile at Chace and Tristan. They're both wearing the same expression. The expression one of my kind puts on when they're in for a punch.

“He's just really like this but deep, deep, deep down he's a really kind person. I think.”

I think?

“I'll catch you later?”

Chace gives me a nod. “Yeah,” He mutters, already rolling away. “Later.”

Shoving Cain through the doors, I close it with my foot and then lean against it, glaring at him. “Do you really have to be mean?” I glower, trying to send him my best death glares but he's already leaning both hands against either of my side.

“Do you really have to be here?”

I reach for the knob, my hands already on the cold object. “I'll leave then.”

“I'm just kidding,”

He holds my hand tightly, eyeing the bandages. “What's this for?” He asks me, pulling away at the cloth already but I tell him to stop. “Try me,” He chuckles, nibbling at the tips of my fingers and then tugging it away with his lips.

“No, seriously,” I deadpan, pulling my hand away. “Stop it.”

“Why? Is it injured that heavily?” He frowns, taking his fingers away from it. Then when I think he's stopped pestering me, he touches a finger. “I didn't think you did boxing, lest you mean punching someone in the face again. Delinquent style.”

I keep my hand there, smiling at him. “No, it's not really injured.”

“Then what's it there for?” He asks, a wan smile now forming at his features.

I push his face away, my bandages against his mouth. His lips. “It's there for a reason, obviously. But I'm still wondering if I should tell you or not.” I wager my mind on it. To tell him or to tell me not. Would he think I'm crazy?

“I wouldn't,” He answers, making me flinch as I realize I'd put my guard down.

“What is it you're hiding from me?”

“Nothing,” I whisper, pulling him against me and initiating a kiss.

He pulls away easily, frowning. “No, you're just doing that to distract me.” I pull away from him, already opening the door but he's closing it. Actually, more like slamming it shut. My back's onto him, but I can feel his breath tickling against my ears.

“What is it?” He whispers.

Cain yanks at the top of bandages on my right hand, loosening it all the way down. I stare at it, eyes focused. Then all of a sudden Cain holds my hand, his fingers interlacing with mine as softly as he could but it's obvious he has no intention of letting it go.

A hazy gray crowded my vision, working from the edges to the middle.

Then all the lights went out and darkness seeped in.