The Widows Daughter

Part sixty-eight

(Chloe's POV)

Clothes. I need clothes.

Pleeeeeeeaaaaaaasssssse? I begged mom psychically.

No. You have plenty of clothes. And shoes. I don't care if you have a 'boyfriend' or if you're a teenager, but you are not, I repeat, NOT getting new clothes. She finalized.

Why not? I promise I won't buy a lot, and Harley needs to see New York. Please? I begged her as we walked into the kitchen where Steve sat talking to a somewhat star-struck Harley.

No. Why do you even need any new clothes? She looked at me.

Well first off, I haven't gotten new clothes since you guys first found me, and I was very skinny. Soooooooooo... I shrugged. Also I'm kinda running out of clothes that aren't blown up, charred, shredded, or covered in blood, oil, and or dirt.

I watched mom walk around to pour herself some coffee before she turned to look at me. "Fine." She sighed out loud.

"Yes! Thank you!" I jumped in the air and then quickly hugged her.

"What just happened?" Harley asked confused.

"My guess is they were having a psychic chat." Steve answered.

"A what?"

"I'm telepathic. I can read people's minds. I can also talk to them through their minds." I explained to the confused boy sitting in front of me.

"So you can read my mind?" Harley asked.

"Yeah. But I normally don't. I man I can, but I don't really like doing it. I find it invasive." I continued as I took an apple and bit into it.

"It's a personal thing. I don't like invading people's privacy unless I need or have to." I finished. "I don't do it without peoples permission."

"Most of the time." Mom commented.

"Most of the time." I echoed sheepishly.

"So you can just hear what people think all the time?" Harley frowned.

"Well...I mean...technically?" I stuttered. "I guess. But normally I just tune it all out. Although if I'm isolated by myself I usually have a bubble around me—a metaphorical bubble—and I just kinda scan through the minds of anyone that enters the bubble. It's a safety thing." I informed him.

"Oh. So you don't do it with other people?"

"No. Only when I'm alone. It kinda goes along with the whole 'getting kidnapped' thing." I smiled. "Why? Is there something that you don't want me to see in you head?"

"No. Just curious." He said leaning back in the chair.

It was a subtle way of getting away from me. Unfortunately not subtle enough.

"Right. Well. We are going shopping today." I told Harley making him look at me.

"We are?" He asked.

"Yes. We are. I need new clothes on account of most of mine either being burnt, shredded, or permanently stained with substances. So we're gonna go shopping." I smiled bouncing back and forth on the balls of my feet to my heels.

Harley smiled at me before saying, "Okay. I'll go get dressed."

"Thank yyyyyoooooouuuu!!!!" I smiled at mom before kissing her cheek.

"Uh huh." She shook her head at me.

"Behave missy." Steve smiled knowingly at me.

"Yes sir, captain sir!" I saluted making them both laugh.