"My Evie..." {A.P.}

°seven

꧁Eve꧂

Last night was weird. Whoever stalked Ajax and I, knew I'd be there. And when they ran, i tried focusing on their thoughts, but unlike Ajax's, they blocked me out completely. They knew I'd try, and they purposely put a block on their thoughts.

Now, on the bus to Jericho, I got lost in some article someone wrote about six years ago about telepaths. I wasn't sure if it was a fiction story, or an outcast-gone-rogue in that time. Mother told me how it was illegal years ago to be out about being an outcast. They'd be hunted and haunted. Yet now it's perfectly normal; kind of.

When the bus stopped, I slipped my headphones off to hang around my neck and got off the bus. 

"Great, Nevermore freaks."

"Trouble follows them, everywhere."

"This describes the moody weather."

"Perfect, another day ruined for me."

"They better hurry. I ain't in the mood for this shit."

Just like that, I pulled my headphones onto my ears, and pushed my phone back into my skirt pocket. My eyes searched for a safe spot to fade into, and they fell onto the coffee shop across the street. 

Inside I sat down in a booth in the corner, where a young-looking barista appeared beside me, causing me to take my headphones off. 

"Cute, new girl. New at Nevermore I guess."

"How can I help you?" he asked me with a soft smile.

I gave a soft smile back. "Hazelnut coffee and a slice of apple pie, please.""

He nodded, before slowly walking away; the order repeating in his mind. 

I pulled the headphones back over my ears, before pulling my phone out of my pocket, scrolling through the article again. 

According to this article, and two which I read on my way to Jericho, Telepaths can block out other Telepaths, but non-telepaths cannot. It didn't necessarily help with my Ajax problem, but it helped me figure out my other problem. there was indeed another telepath at Nevermore, but according to last year's yearbook, there wasn't one last year. Last known telepath was my father, twenty-one years ago. 

"One hazelnut coffee, and a slice of apple pie."

I looked up, meeting the barista's eyes. on his apron, his name was embroiled in the corner. I took off my headphones.

"Tyler," I read, before meeting his eyes again. "Thank you."

Just then the door opened, ringing the bell, and mine met Ajax's as he entered the coffee shop. I looked back at Tyler.

"A normal coffee as well, please."

He gave a nod, looking at Ajax, who didn't look as welcome as Tyler did. Ajax walked to me, a soft smile appearing his lips. 

"May I?" he asked, gesturing to the booth seat across the table. 

I smiled. "Of course."

He slid into the booth, looking down at the slice of apple pie in a small, patterned white plate. Beside it was a small dessert fork. 

"Leaving Nevermore's Saturday cupcakes for a slice of apple pie?" he questioned, frowning lightly.

A giggle left my lips. "It's quieter here than there. Thought my mind deserved an off day."

"Or you could just sneak into the greenhouse for the day. Miss Thornhill won't mind if you ask her, I'm sure," he explained. 

While taking the headphones off of my neck, placing them beside me on the table, I shrugged. "Not a big fan of the dangerous plants. Quite the reason why I stick to the back of the class, near the doors."

A smile spread Ajax's lips. "Right. Afraid they might eat you?"

"Funny," I mocked. 

Tyler placed Ajax's cup of coffee down between us, looking at him with an awaiting smile, but Ajax didn't even look up at him. 

"Thank you, Tyler. And another fork, please."

He reached over the counter, before handing us another fork. I thanked him, before he walked off. 

"And why are you here?" I asked, pushing Ajax's coffee towards him, and pulling the slice of apple pie between the two of us, sliding a fork to him.

"I asked Wednesday if she had seen you, and she mentioned you got on the bus to Jericho."

I looked at him with a teasing smile. "You looked for me?"

Realization hit him, and immediately he looked down at his coffee. "I did. And next thing I know, I was on the next bus to Jericho."

"Be careful, I might feel special."

He laughed lightly, his eyes scanning over my phone. "Google?"

"Oh," I said, looking down at it. "Yeah, I'm just searching some telepath articles. Just to find some explanation. You'd be surprised how many outcasts went rogue a couple years ago and especially went public on blogs and Wikipedia. Many of these people went to Nevermore as well."

Ajax frowned softly. "Alright. What did you find?"

"Not, much to explain why I cannot read your mind, but I know now that whoever stalked us last night, is a telepath. I couldn't read their mind, because they were forcefully blocking me out. No one else can do that."

"Except me, apparently?"

I looked at Ajax, a sigh leaving my lips. "I'll figure out why, I promise."

"You don't need to promise me," he chuckled softly. "I'm not as bothered as you are, Evie."

~

The rain caught up while we sat in the coffee shop. It was surprising to see how bipolar the weather was. The clouds didn't know if they wanted to stay, leave, or cry. 

Ajax and I both searched through the internet for possible explanations on why I couldn't read his mind, but after about an hour and a half, we didn't have a single solution. Everything was on normies and outcasts; but nothing was between two outcasts. 

"You chose an impeccable timing," Tyler said as he stepped beside us. "I'm closing up the cafe."

I looked around us, and realized that we were the last customers, and it was a bit dark outside. Our table was filled with empty coffee cups, and two empty plates. 

"Right," I said, pulling my headphones around my neck, pulling my wallet out seconds after, pulling some money out, handing it to Tyler. 

When we opened the door, it was a gush of coldness rushing over us. The rain had turned into a storm, and Tyler was a sudden prick, sending us into this storm. Best of all, I didn't have a jacket, and the busses didn't drive after sunset.