Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking? (9 page)

“Want to see my room?” Charlotte led them up the stairs. Large boxes lined the hallways. Ava guessed they were still unpacking. Charlotte opened a door to an oversize bedroom, chicly decorated in black, white, and hot pink.

“I love it!” Alex squealed. “Are all these perfumes yours?”

Nearly fifty cut-glass bottles of various shapes, colors, and sizes crowded a sleek white vanity topped by an enormous mirror in an ornate hot-pink frame.

Charlotte nodded. “I love scents. We once went on vacation to the south of France, and I got to design my own signature scent. Want to smell it?”

“Please!” Alex positioned herself alongside Charlotte at the vanity. As Charlotte sprayed and dabbed perfume after perfume on the inside of her arm, different scents crowded the air. Floral. Citrus. Woodsy. One hung top of the other.

Ava's stomach churned. “I need air,” she squeaked.

“Wait! Charlotte's going to show us all her lip glosses. She has over one hundred! Her mom is a makeup executive. How cool is that?” Alex asked, her words running together.

Ava stepped over to the window. It was covered by a sheet of brown craft paper. Someone had taken a red marker and drawn a pattern of rectangles on it. They looked amazingly like real bricks.

“What's this?” she asked Charlotte.

“Keeping NYC in and Texas out,” Charlotte declared. She began to say something else and then grimaced.

“You're a great artist.” Ava stared at the fake wall, unsure what it meant exactly. The perfume cloud was making her eyes water. Ava peeled up the bottom flap of the paper, which hadn't been taped securely to the sill. Could she open the window and get some air?

Outside she spotted a thin, dark-haired boy shooting a basketball. Shooting it badly. The ball kept hitting the backboard. But that didn't matter. Ava knew this was the perfect excuse. “Is that your brother? Can I go check out your backyard?” she asked.

“Sure thing. Alex and I will be right out,” Charlotte promised.

Ava couldn't escape fast enough. She hurried down the stairs, said hello to a woman wiping the counter in the kitchen, who she assumed was Carmen, and headed out into the late afternoon sunlight. She took big gulps of fresh air.

“Hey,” Ava said, approaching Ben. He looked about nine years old. She nabbed the basketball as it ricocheted off the backboard yet again. “Can I play too?”

Ben shrugged. “Sure.”

Ava aimed, then let the ball glide off her fingertips and swoosh through the hoop.

Ben watched in openmouthed amazement. Then he grinned, and they began to play. Ava liked how easy it was with guys. Especially if you could throw a ball.

She still couldn't figure out Charlotte. All afternoon, she'd been so nice. The way she'd been earlier in the week when Ava had first met her. Ava wanted to ask her why she was so rude to Emily and Lindsey, but so far the time hadn't seemed right. And maybe it didn't matter.

“You're good,” Ben said as Ava sank another basket.

“My big brother taught me,” she said. “Let me give you some tips. Your weight is too far back in your heels. Try it like this.”

Ben mimicked her stance. He sent the ball toward the hoop. It bounced off the rim.

“Closer!” Ava cried, going for the rebound. “Whoa!” She lost her balance and stumbled as a blur of curly black fur streaked across the lawn and into the shrubs bordering the yard.

“Harvey! Harvey!” Carmen stood by the back door, waving her arms. “He escaped again! Ben!”

Ben took off after the dog. Ava hesitated, then hurried after both of them.

Together they trampled through the bushes. Twigs scratched Ava's shins. She kept going. She spotted Harvey's black fur up ahead.

Suddenly Harvey made an abrupt turn, circling the edge of the property. Ava and Ben twisted back through the bushes. Carmen stayed on the stone patio, yelling for the dog. Harvey didn't seem to hear or care.

“Go right. We'll corner him!” Ben told Ava.

Ava broke right. She felt as if she were on the football field running a play. But a dog was much harder to catch than a football. She had no idea where this ball of fur was heading.

Harvey darted through the bushes once more and into the neighbor's yard. Ava and Ben followed. Across another yard. Through another neighbor's vegetable garden.
Good-bye to that head of lettuce,
Ava thought as she trampled more veggies than she dodged.

Harvey ran faster.

Ava kept up the chase. Ben struggled to keep close. The dog was still in sight.

Closer . . . closer . . .

Up ahead, she spotted a low stone wall. A big house rose beyond it. The largest Texas flag she'd ever seen flew from a pole in the yard. Harvey slowed as he approached the wall.

Seizing the opportunity, Ava dove forward, arms outstretched, and grabbed Harvey's fur. She pulled Harvey toward her, grasping the small dog around its middle.

Touchdown!
Ava thought.

She and Harvey lay on the ground, both panting, both exhausted.

“Harvey!” Ben cried. He slid beside Ava and scooped his dog into his arms.

Harvey licked Ben's nose.

“You have one crazy dog,” Ava said.

“He's not crazy,” Ben protested, hugging his dog fiercely. “Everything here scares him. The grass, the trees, the other animals. He's kind of like Charlotte.”

Ava thought about this. Charlotte didn't seem scared at all. Charlotte had bulldozed forward and taken down the popular kids. And she hadn't even been in school a week!

“Do
you
like it here?” Ava asked.

Ben shrugged. “Don't know yet. It was kind of sudden. Mom told us on a Monday, and by Friday some moving company had packed us and we were on the plane.”

“Really?” Ava's parents had discussed the pros and cons of their move with their kids for weeks before her dad accepted the coaching job.

“Mom's like that. She works for Rouge.” Ben looked to Ava for a reaction, but she had none. “Okay . . . most girls scream when they hear that. It's a big makeup company.”

“Never heard of it,” Ava admitted. “But I'm not into makeup. My twin sister would probably be drooling.”

“They chose Mom to head up the Southwest division, and they needed her right away, so—boom!—here we are,” Ben explained. “My dad already had a business trip scheduled to Hong Kong, so he flew off and well, Charlotte and I were kind of dropped in Texas. It's been weird.”

“That's rough,” Ava said. Her parents never flew off on business trips.

“Who lives here?” Ben asked suddenly, staring up at the huge flag.

Ava looked at the big house. An
ASHLAND TIGERS 1979 STATE CHAMPS
banner was strung across the porch. A second banner,
WHITTAKER #34
, flew below it. “I'm guessing this is Floyd Whittaker's house. He's crazy about Ashland football. He runs the Booster Club.”

“Hey, maybe Harvey ran here because he wants to join the football team!” Ben cried.

“He would be a good running back,” Ava agreed. “Actually, so would you. You're fast.”

“You think?” Ben grinned.

Ava nodded.

“Something smells good,” he said.

Ava inhaled the spicy aroma of charcoal smoke. She glanced over the wall. Floyd Whittaker stood in the center of the largest concrete patio she'd ever seen. His back was to them, but Ava spotted a large stainless-steel barbecue grill.

“He must be making dinner,” she said.

“I'd like some,” Ben said. Harvey whimpered. “So would old Harvey here. Maybe Harvey was coming for some barbecued ribs.”

“He's a smart dog,” Ava said. Then she heard Alex call her name. Ben carried Harvey, and they walked to the house. Their mom's SUV waited in the driveway.

“Took you long enough. I have your backpack.” Alex opened the car's back door and tossed both packs in. Then she waved to Charlotte and slid in too.

“Alex told me about the Power,” Charlotte said before Ava could follow.

“She did?” Ava shifted her weight. She didn't want to talk about this.

“I think it's amazing,” Charlotte said. “I've never known anyone with psychic abilities.”

“We don't—” Ava didn't get to finish.

“Ave, come on!” her mom called.

“Got to go,” Ava said, and hurried into the car. “Thanks for having us!”

“Alex has a dentist appointment,” Mrs. Sackett said, starting up the car. “Ava, I'll drop you at home with Tommy. I left sandwiches for dinner. And Luke is coming to tutor you tonight.”

Ava nodded. Luke was in high school with Tommy. Ever since she'd found out she had ADHD, he'd been helping her twice a week with her homework. Luke focused her, and he was fun to be around.

“What about Daddy?” Alex asked.

“He's still at the school. It'll be a late night with the coaches.” Their mom gripped the steering wheel tightly. “I can't wait for this game to be over.”

For a moment, they were all silent, thinking about tomorrow's big game. Then Ava told Mrs. Sackett about the dog chase.

“You're awfully quiet, Alex,” their mom commented at the end of the story. “Nothing to add?”

Alex had never let Ava tell a full story without jumping in. Now Alex typed furiously on her phone.

“What's up?” Ava asked, whispering so their mom couldn't hear them.

“Everyone is talking about it.” Alex showed her the screen.

“It?” Ava had a sinking feeling she knew what “it” was.

“Our Power. How we found Rosa's bracelet.” Alex beamed.

“What?” Ava winced. She should have told Alex the truth about how she'd found the bracelet earlier. Now the whole school knew.

“Actually, they're kind of only talking about me. They don't seem to think you were involved. I promise I'll set everyone straight.” Alex turned back to her phone.

Ava grabbed her wrist. “Oh, no! Leave me out of this.”

“Really?” Alex shrugged. “It's fun to have everyone be so amazed, don't you think?”

“Ava, scoot. Alex is going to be late.” Mrs. Sackett had pulled into their driveway.

“Alex, about that . . .” Ava's voice trailed off.

“Finish that thought later,” Mrs. Sackett commanded. “And tell Tommy to leave a sandwich for Alex. Out you go.”

Ava had no choice. She got out and watched Alex drive away, believing they had the Power.

Ava scooped a stray football off their lawn. She twirled it in her hands, letting a new thought poke the corners of her mind. If she told her sister, Alex would probably say Rosa's bracelet didn't prove anything. Alex would still insist that they did have powers. They had worn the same outfit and bought Coach the same present.

What did it matter to her what Alex believed? Or what the kids at school believed?

She could just leave it alone and everyone would be happy.

Alex was pleased with her costume. It was pretty genius, if she said so herself.

And she had to say so, because no one was home to say it.

Ava had left the house early for Saturday football practice. The middle school team planned to walk together to the high school stadium to watch the game. Alex hoped Ava had remembered to pack a costume. She hadn't had a chance to remind her last night. Ava had showered after Luke left and fell asleep while Alex was downstairs watching an eighties rom-com with her mom.

Tommy and Coach had left this morning right after Ava. Why they needed hours in the locker room to get ready for the game was a mystery to Alex.

And Mrs. Sackett had just run to the store, because the bags of mini chocolate bars she'd hidden away for trick-or-treaters earlier in the month were now basically bags of empty wrappers. Alex shook her head. Her mom should have chosen a better hiding place. She knew that when Coach couldn't sleep, he headed right for the candy.

And before the big game this week, there had been a lot of sleepless nights.

Alex checked the clock. They were cutting it awfully close. Kickoff was in less than thirty minutes. Luckily, the coach's family had reserved seats.

Alex turned her attention back to the fork on the kitchen table. She visualized it rising up, up, up. She stared at it until her eyes crossed and she had to blink.

The fork lay there. Not moving. Not levitating.

“I need Ava,” she said aloud.

“You need Ava for what?” The kitchen door banged open, and an orange-and-black tiger hurried in and tossed two bags of sour lollipops onto the counter. “The drugstore was totally wiped out. This is all they had left.”

Alex decided not to answer the Ava question. Right before the big game was not the time to tell her mom that they had psychic powers. She wasn't quite sure when the right time was.

“You look cute, but your costume isn't going to win for originality in this town,” Alex told her mom. “I do like your whiskers, though.”

“Grrrr,” Mom growled, and her furry tiger ears tilted atop her head. “I have to support the team.” She took a closer look at Alex. “Is that my glass bowl?”

Alex nodded. She'd turned it upside down and wrapped the open bottom with a red scarf. “It's not the good one. It's that gross one that the wilted flowers from Great-Aunt Leslie came in. It's going to be my crystal ball. Can you guess what I am?”

Alex had dressed in a long velvet skirt, a white ruffled blouse, and short black boots. She'd wrapped a purple scarf around her hair, which she'd worn extra curly. Several silk scarves hung down from her waist, and many gold and silver chains circled her neck.

“You're a fortune-teller!” Mrs. Sackett grinned. “I like it.”

Alex liked it too. She liked it, because it felt real. She could find things and link thoughts with Ava, and that was amazing.