The Conduit The Gryphon Series - By Stacey Rourke Page 0,16
called, texted, and stopped by repeatedly to check on me. In his latest text he asked me out for dinner. I couldn’t deny that I wanted to see him again, plus I needed to try out my empathe ability in the big, wide world. (Well, not the big world; more the Podunk, isolated world — but still.) The worst that could happen was me being unable to hold back the emotions that invaded me, then having myself a fun little freak out in front of the cute boy. Heck, I might even lose control of a few bodily functions in front of him. That’d be swell. If things went that route, my plan was to claim food poisoning and run like that rumored panther was chasing me. See? I had a plan.
I inhaled a shaky breath to calm my nerves and exhaled through pursed, freshly glossed lips. I had scoured my closet for the right ensemble for tonight. I wanted an outfit that said, “I like you, but I don’t know how much yet. So, I want to entice you without leading you on.” Nothing in my closet fit that description. There was no choice but to call in Kendall’s keen fashion sense. She dressed me in a pair of blue jean capris and a loosely fitted canary yellow tank top with lace trim at the neckline. Then she came at me baring her tackle box full of hair pins, combs and other frilly paraphernalia. I repelled her by holding up her only known weakness — a scrunchie I fully intended to use to pull my hair back. She hissed and retreated to her perfectly quaffed shadows. I checked out my reflection in the mirror. Nice and casual. No way could Alec get the wrong idea.
“CELESTE! Your boyfriend’s here!” Gabe bellowed from the bottom of the stairs.
Gabe Garrett, you are a monumental pain in my…
I did my best to ignore his flare up of foot-in-mouth disease and focused instead on bracing myself for whatever the night would hold. I flung the bedroom door open with as much courage as I could muster, and headed downstairs. An unforeseen problem developed as soon as my feet touched the polished wood stairs. I began envisioning all sorts of terrible scenarios. What if I read Alec’s emotions and found out he didn’t like me? Or that he’s only after “one thing”? What if half way through the night he decides I’m a totally goober and I just so happen to be plugged into his emotions at the moment he makes that discovery? Worse yet, what if he’s only using me to get closer to Kendall? It wouldn’t be the first time that happened. I hadn’t even thought about the consequences of knowing exactly what he was feeling! Why did I think I could pull this off?!
By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs I had worked myself up into a state of sweaty, frazzled panic. Worse yet, I couldn’t will myself to round the corner into the foyer. I was stuck at the bottom of the stairwell with my legs sending a message loud and clear; this is going to be unpleasant. Therefore we have decided against going. Thank you very much for the offer, but no.
Idle conversation from the other side of the wall. “What are you lifting twenty-four/seven? You’re really bulking up. I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“No, I haven’t been hitting the weights any more than usual. Must just be from working out with the team.”
Listen to them, chattering away while I’m stuck mid-panic attack. I knew I was being ridiculous. If my stubborn, lead feet wouldn’t budge I was just going to move them manually. I grabbed the corner of the wall in a white-knuckle grip and hoisted myself around into the foyer in one big swoop. Alec and Gabe stopped and stared.
“Everything okay?” Alec asked, his eyes wide and alarmed.
I didn’t know yet…was it? It might take a second before it hits. I wasn’t feeling anything. Nothing rushed over me. The rule must apply to other people, too! The emotions would only come to me if I reached out for them. Relief flooded me — immediately followed by embarrassment.
I still had a grip on the wall like I was bracing myself for some sort of natural disaster. With the hold I had it was impressive I didn’t crack the plaster. I quickly let go, adjusted my posture and crammed my hands into my pockets.