Gyrus

Chapter Four: Mind Games

They say time flies when you're having fun. The reverse is the case when you're in a state of anticipation. After the revealing meeting with Roberto and considering what we'd have to go through in whatever scheme he had planned, waiting to actually begin to do something seemed like the easy part. Three days never seemed so long. Everything had changed, my friendship with Edwin, my perception of Roberto and the way I saw everyone else. The next morning, I caught myself staring intently at someone because he said he could fly, wondering if he was joking or serious until the person realized I was gawking and gave me the finger.

I seemed to cross paths with Wong everywhere - which I thought was weird, but it could also have been that I never really noticed him before that meeting. And after running into him at Gym hour and ending up behind him at the cafeteria line, he couldn't help but throw a jab. He walked up to the table Edwin and I usually shared alone and stared down at me.

"I see now that you've resorted to stalking to get a piece of my amazing brain, so I'll spare you the embarrassment." Then he sat right next to us. I was trying to avoid any form of interaction with him when Edwin, who is usually non-confrontational, suddenly grabbed Wong's wrist.

"What do you think you're doing, aren't those the people..." he pointed to the other end of the cafeteria hall; "you usually hang out with?"

Wong gave a fake yawn. "This is so old. I don't have cliques, Eddie-boy. And since you are the people I'm going to be spending a fair amount of my time with, I think it would be stupid to avoid you, don't you?"

"I guess he's right," I heard Edwin say, though it was barely a whisper.

I nodded. "I think he is too."

Wong gave me a quizzical look. "Who is too?"

Edwin groaned and slapped the back of my head. I turned to protest when I heard the whispering again. Only this time his mouth wasn't moving.

{I'm trying to have a private conversation here. Just think what you want to say and I'll hear you}.

I panicked. {I thought I told you to stay out of my head.} I had told him that reading my thoughts was a breach of privacy and that he shouldn't do it with me. So I was surprised he was using telepathy on me, and in public for that matter. It felt weird, like there were little worms crawling around my brain.

Edwin smiled. {I couldn't resist and I can't let Mr. Sociopath here realize we actually agree with what he's saying.}

It was my turn to smile. {I guess not.}

{Then stop complaining. Just make something up to let him stay. I'm not talking to him.}

I poked his arm. {One more thing, Can't you make him say something stupid?}

Edwin thought about it for a millisecond then thought a 'no'. I braced to face Razor - that's what everyone called him behind his back. I wasn't not sure whether it was from the razor tongue or the sharp Chinese eyes - and for the first time since I met Wong, he actually looked speechless. He just sat there with an expression like someone stuffed his mouth with grass. His expression then turned very serious.

"Please don't ever do that again."

"Do what?" Edwin and I ask at the same time.

"Are you guys kidding me? You just sit there, looking at each other, frowning and smiling and poking and touching and feeling. I don't mind that you guys have been shagging to the point that you've formed a telepathic bond..." he tapped Edwin's head. "...but please don't make it too obvious."

I smiled awkwardly while Edwin gave Wong a blank stare before turning back to his food. I tried to imagine what we must have looked like and cringed. Thankfully we made it through lunch without Wong throwing another snide remark, sarcastic quip or punchline, which was probably why he finished his lunch of salmon and baked beans before we did. He stood up smiled and said. "This was so much fun. I'll round up the rest of the sleuths and we meet up together for supper."