that I’d done anything. What I’d “experienced” had existed only in my head. Right?
Kate glanced at her watch. “What class do you have first?”
I pulled out my schedule. “Honors Biology.” I scrunched my nose at the prospect. “They put me in all honors classes, and I have no idea why. I was in regular classes at my old school.”
“I’ve got Honors Bio, too,” she said. “Come on. I’ll explain the whole honors thing on the way there.”
I followed Kate down the hallway, although I kept bumping into people, since my mind was spinning after what had happened in homeroom. I’d felt something during that meditation session. Maybe it was the energy that Darius was talking about. And if this energy stuff was the reason behind the miraculous recovery of my torn tendon and the healed scar …
I pushed the thought away. There had to be another explanation. One that made sense.
Kate edged closer to the wall to give me space to walk next to her. “So, about the honors classes,” she said, lowering her voice. “You saw what was written on the board. Each color has a different meaning. Once we learn how to harness energy properly, we can use the different colors to help us … do things.”
“What kind of things?” I asked.
“Let’s take yellow—my personal favorite—as an example,” she said. “Yellow increases focus and helps us remember information. If you channel yellow energy before studying for a test, it won’t take as long to review everything, and you’ll remember more. It’ll make your memory almost photographic. Pretty cool, right?”
“It does sound useful,” I agreed. “Although I’m still not buying all this colors and energy stuff.”
“Give it time.” Kate smiled, as if she knew something I didn’t, and stopped in front of a classroom door. “We’re here. Want to sit with me?” She led the way to a table in the front, and I followed, even though front and center wasn’t my thing. “I’ll help you with the basics after school,” she offered. “You got the hang of channeling energy pretty quickly, so it shouldn’t be hard. Sometimes it takes the freshmen months to gather enough energy to feel anything significant. It was obvious from where I was sitting that you did it on your first try. That was pretty impressive.”
“I’m not sure I actually did anything, but sure, I’ll study with you after school,” I said. Even though this energy stuff sounded crazy, it was nice of Kate to reach out. I didn’t want to miss the chance to make my first friend here. “I could definitely use help getting caught up with my classes.”
“Great.” Kate beamed. “I’m sure you’ll pick it up quickly.”
More students piled in, a few of them people I recognized from homeroom. Then, just as I’d started to think it was stupid to hope he would also be in this class, Blake strolled inside, with Danielle trailing close behind.
His eyes met mine, and my breath caught, taken aback by how he’d noticed me again. But he couldn’t be interested in me like that. It was probably just because I was new. And because, as embarrassing as it was to admit, he’d caught me staring at him. So I opened my textbook to the chapter that Kate already had open, focusing on a section on dominant and recessive genes as if it were the most fascinating thing I’d ever read in my life.
“I told you in homeroom that he’s taken, remember?” Kate whispered once Blake and Danielle were far enough away.
My cheeks heated. “Was it that obvious?”
“That you were checking him out?” Kate asked, and I nodded, despite how humiliating it was that she’d noticed. “Yeah.”
“I’m not doing it on purpose,” I said. “I know that he has a girlfriend. I would never try anything, I promise. But … have you seen him? It was hard not to at least look.”
“I know you’re not doing it on purpose,” she said. “He’s one of the hottest guys in the school—I get that. But Danielle doesn’t take it too kindly when girls flirt with Blake. Or check out Blake. Or even look like they’re interested in Blake. It’s in your best interest to keep your distance from both of them. Trust me.”
I was about to ask why, but before I could, the bell rang and class began.
4
The other sophomores from homeroom were in most of my classes, and Kate sat with me in each one, including lunch. I was so behind in the honors courses that I