Suddenly Psychic (Glimmer Lake #1)(21)

“That.” Robin pointed at her. “What was that?”

“Nothing.”

Going with a sudden instinct, Robin reached for a pen and tossed it at Val. “Catch.”

Val spread her hands, as if afraid the pen would bite. The pen clattered on the hardwood floor and Val’s eyes went wide.

Robin stood. “Why aren’t you touching anything?”

Monica pointed at her. “Something happens when you touch stuff, doesn’t it?”

“I’m fine.” Val paced back and forth in the small space, keeping her distance from Monica and Robin. “It’s stress. I’ll be fine.”

“You keep saying that, and you’re obviously not,” Robin said. “Stop bullshitting us.”

“What happens when you touch things?” Monica asked.

“I just…” Val bit her lip.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Monica said. “It’s us, Val!”

Both Robin and Val turned to Monica with wide eyes.

“She said fuck,” Robin muttered. “You know how mad she has to be to say that word. You better tell us.”

Val actually looked offended. “You never say fuck.”

“I do when one of my best friends is lying to me. Spill.”

All three of them were standing in the middle of the kitchen, staring at each other.

“Josh brought me a blanket in the hospital,” Val blurted out.

Monica wrinkled her nose. “Ew. Why was Josh at the hospital?”

“Did your mom invite him?” Robin asked.

“Yes, of course she did, but that’s not the point. He gave me this blanket. It was actually kind of perfect. It was a Coraline blanket—”

“Oh my gosh!” Monica grinned. “That’s your favorite. I didn’t think he was that smart. That’s actually cool.”

“I thought so too, until I grabbed the blanket and I just had this…” Her hands went to her temples and made exploding motions. “I just had this flash, and I saw him—I saw him—handing that blanket to his little girlfriend, and I could hear them. And she asked him what it was, and he said it was a Coraline blanket, and she said, ‘What’s that?’ And I heard them, you guys. I heard them. It was like I was in the room.”

“Like my dreams,” Monica said.

“Or my imagination.” Val put her hands on her hips. “So I tossed the blanket back at him and said I knew he’d gotten it for Rachel, and his face completely gave it away. He got it for her and gave it to me and I saw it. I saw it when I touched the blanket and…” Val seemed to deflate. “This is bad, you guys. If you’re right and this isn’t some weird thing my brain is doing because of stress, this is so, so bad.”

The gravity of what Val was saying finally sank in. She was seeing things—visions—when she touched things. Pens. Blankets. Counters. Any. Thing.

“Oh shit,” Robin said. That could be a nightmare.

Monica asked, “Does it happen when you touch other stuff?”

Val nodded, crossing her arms like she was trying to hide her hands.

“Like what?”

“Uhhh… keys this morning. I knew a guy at the café was cheating on his girlfriend when I picked up his keys. His side chick handed them to him when he left her house.”

Monica made a face. “Ew.”

“Yeah, tell me about it. I know his girlfriend, and I know the side chick too. They’re both customers. But then, not all keys make me react. Uh… books. Most books do, but I usually just see someone reading them, so it’s not that bad. Purses.” She took a deep breath. “Purses are hit and miss.”

“Phones?”

“Not anything electric,” Val said. “Not so far. I kind of experimented at home a couple of nights ago. I touched Jackson’s phone and I didn’t get anything, and he’s on that thing all the time.”

“What about if you touch people?”

“Nothing.” She let out a breath. “Thank God.”

“But stuff?”

“Some stuff. And not electronics.”

“Is it just people you know?” Monica asked. “Like maybe it’s only people you know in your daily life?”

“I don’t know, Monica.” Val looked lost. “I haven’t asked anyone about this. I kept hoping it was some weird reaction to stress, but what if it’s not? What if it’s permanent? I don’t want this!”

Monica muttered, “I don’t particularly like these dreams either.”

“You think I like seeing ghosts?” Robin asked. “It’s freaky. What if I start seeing more? What if I can’t stop seeing them?”

“Why did this happen?” Val asked. “Why us? What are we supposed to do with… supernatural powers?” She shook her head. “I feel ridiculous even saying that.”

“Why not us?” Monica leaned her chin on her hand. “I mean, if you think about it, we’re at the perfect age. All those shows where teenagers get magic powers are dumb. Remember how stupid we were when we were sixteen? I’m much more capable of being a superhero at this point in my life.”

“If my knee wasn’t acting like crap lately, I’d totally be on board with being superheroes,” Robin said. “But as it is, I can barely walk five miles on the treadmill right now.”