Tess Curtis has been hearing everyone's thoughts ever since her parents died. What she doesn't know is that Johnny Cade, the boy she's had a crush on for years can also hear thoughts. In fact, all of the gang has a special ability.
Sophie Foster is...
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Evelyn. I heard. It was directly in my head.
"Who's there?" I whispered. I was in the hall, right outside Tess' room. I hope she's okay. I hope Johnny's okay. They're perfect for each other. I didn't see anyone other than the gang, and they were all preoccupied with their thoughts.
Follow the shadows. I looked down, and there were some unnatural shadows trailing down the hall to Johnny's room.
"Why?" I whispered.
Do you want to see your brother?
"Yes." I whispered, before following the shadows. Before I reached Johnny's room, a hand reached out, and tapped my shoulder. He looked like a male version of Linh.
"Evelyn, I'm Tam. Yes, I'm Linh's twin. I can help you see Johnny, but you need to follow my directions. Every. Single. One." I can't speak, so I just nod. "I'm going to hide you in shadows. It doesn't hurt, but you'll need to move only when I tell you to."
"Okay." He manipulates the shadows, and I'm shrouded in darkness.
Alright, into his room. Now, go. I walk into his room. He doesn't look so good, but it can't be too bad, 'cause he's reading.
"Go away. I don't need help falling asleep." Johnny muttered, without looking up from the book he was reading.
"But Johnny-" I whispered. I was hurt that he'd he'd treat me like this. I thought he loved me.
"Oh! I thought you were one of those pesky nurses." he said, a touch of sadness in his smile. "I don't think I have much time left. After I'm gone, you'll need the gang. Reach out to your sister."
"Sister?" I asked. What sister?
"Not sister. Twin." Alyssa stepped out from the shadows. "I wish Randy's parents weren't so secretive." I have a twin? Johnny knew, and he didn't tell me?
"Randy Adderson?" I whispered, "The one who was best friends with Bob?" I hate them.
"Yeah." Alyssa said. She looked mad. If it was because Bob's dead, I don't want to be related to her.
"I hate Bob." I said, "He gave that scar to Johnny." I gently caressed his cheek, right where the scar is. The one that Bob gave him.
"Evelyn, she's our sister. Make peace." Johnny whispered.
"No way. I ain't gonna hang with a Soc." I spat.
"Randy's parents, I'm pretty sure I'm not welcome there." Alyssa whispered, "I kinda got mad at them for keeping it a secret. I walked out. I never want to go there again."
"Hey, Johnnycakes? Roll on to your stomach. I need to apply more balm." Soda asked. How did he manage to hide in the corner like that? Maybe it was Tam. I just met him, but he seems like a good person.
"Here. Catch." someone said, before a jar flew towards Soda's head. Tam probably was behind it. I have no clue how, but it was probably him. He tried to catch it, but it veered away from him, and hit him in the head.
"Ow! Tam!" Soda shouted, as he rubbed his head. I was right.
"I'm better at telekinesis than you are." said the same disembodied voice. It really sounded like Tam. "At least I didn't land you in the Healing Center, like Sophie did to Fitz. And herself."
"There was a Sophie with Dally this morning." I said.
"That would be her." said the voice.
"There was another girl. I think her name was Linh." Johnny said.
"That's my twin." said the voice. The shadows moved, and Tam stood in Johnny's room. "I'm Tam."
"What did you do?" Johnny asked.
"Manipulate the shadows. I'm just a Shade being shady." Tam said, "Soda, put the balm on."
"I was going to, but you hit me in the head." Soda said, "That really hurt."
"Grow up. There's a lot of worse things than a simple bump."
"Johnny, after I put this on, you'll want to take a really long shower." Soda said, "And I'll be washing my hands."
"Like fifty times." Tam added. Fifty times? Why?
"Do I want to?" Johnny questioned.
"If you want those burns to heal completely, and leave no scars." Tam said, "Sophie got it on some way less severe burns. A less potent version, but still got treated. She was bottling starlight with Dex, and apparently, they didn't follow the proper protocol."
"Bottling starlight?" I asked.
"Who's Dex?" Alyssa asked at the same time.
"Dex is Sophie's cousin. Starlight can be bottled. It was Universe homework. Linh and I weren't there for that incident. We were at Exillium. Learning skills, instead of how to control our abilities."
"Johnny, I'm all done. I'll go wash my hands. A lot." Soda said, before running out of the room.
"How's Tess?" Johnny asked, "She's not okay. If she was, she'd be here."
"She has minor burns on her back. Soda treated those, then he came here to do your burns." Tam replied.
"How's Pony?" Johnny asked.
"He's fine. He didn't get burned, but he's real shaken." I said.
"And Dally?" Johnny asked.
"Dal's fine. He's ornery as usual." I said, "He yelled at the nurse because he didn't want to wear the gown. He got burned on his arm, but Sophie forced him to apply the balm. He didn't want to because there was yeti pee in it."
"Excuse me? Johnny, your mother is here to see you." said a nurse. Tam manipulated the shadows to hide us.
"No." Johnny said, "I don't want to see her. I want to see the gang."
"But she's your mother."
"She never cared about me. She never cared about anyone except herself!" Johnny was sobbing.
"Alright, I'll tell her that." said the nurse, leaving the room. I heard our mother yelling at the nurse.
"Johnny?" I whispered, gently shaking his shoulder. He didn't move.
"He probably passed out. He'll be fine." Tam said, "I should take you back."
"Alright." I said, as he swept the shadows over Alyssa and I.
"You can walk out of the room." Tam said. We walked out of the room, and towards Tess' room. Once we reached the gang, Tam unveiled us.
"Where were y'all?" asked Two-Bit.
"Seeing Johnny." I replied.
"Evelyn, can I speak to you?" asked Alyssa.
"Sure. What do you want?"
"Do you think maybe, we could be friends?" she asked.
"Yeah, I think so. How close were you to Randy?"
"We weren't ever close. Not like you and Johnny. Or Tess, Pony, Soda, and Darry. I've seen the way they care for each other. Randy was worried that I'd mess up, and ruin his reputation." Alyssa whispered. She looked real sad that she never had anyone to care about her.
"It's okay." I whispered, before hugging her. It felt right, like we were always meant to be sisters.
