Shortcuts by Amy Bearce

Author:Amy Bearce [Bearce, Amy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: CBAY Books

In history class, I was mentally armed and ready for battle. I imagined smoothly making Mia happy, relaxed, bursting for a new adventure. The feelings were at my fingertips. Now I just had to spin them loose at the perfect time to make them worth the risk.

Mr. Bransford closed the door as the tardy bell rang. “We have the history fair coming up. Now, stop groaning. It’s your chance to research people who’ve changed the course of human history. You’ll create a presentation about your chosen history-changer, due in two weeks.”

“Beyoncé changed history,” Clara Bell offered.

“Dream on,” Mr. Bransford said dryly, making the class laugh—except Mia, of course. “You must choose a scientist, an inventor, an author, or someone else outside the entertainment industry. I want your selection by Friday.”

“Sports?” Thomas Mazer asked.

“Nope.”

The students grumbled.

“And you’ll have partners.”

Now he had our attention. Certainly, he had mine. Half the girls in class looked at Josh, who seemed not to notice. Mia did, though. I would bet my best pair of boots. It was written all over her glowering expression.

“Yes,” Mr. Bransford continued. “Partners. Partners I will assign.” Groans again, louder.

I threw my hand up in the air. “Sir, I think Mia and Josh and I should be a team.” On impulse, I sent a quick flash of cooperation and agreeableness to the teacher. Easy peasy.

He blinked. “And yes, we’ll have one group of three. Good idea. You three seem to work well together. You can do this project as a team.” He paced to the back seats and handed me a sheet of paper. Despite the glares from the disappointed girls in the room, no one seemed to think anything was out of the ordinary about his decision.

Mia looked over her shoulder at Josh, and a wave of pleasure and excitement spun out from her, spiced with nerves. It only lasted for a split-second, but it was enough to catch.

I beamed. “Perfect!”

Josh smiled. “Sounds good to me.”

There was no more ideal set up than this. I had to get Mia to take some chances, and it had to happen right now.

Using my hard-won skills, I carefully reached past Mia’s natural block. I felt like I was tiptoeing past a guard dog, but I slowly pumped up Mia’s feelings of curiosity, of excitement. I muted the nerves. It was like juggling fire. It almost hurt my brain, this delicate dance of gift-using. My lungs prickled.

Mia let out a loud sigh. She sat facing forward, but I could see her shoulders dropping.

“Ready to—” I began, but Josh wasn’t listening.

He tapped Mia’s chair. She turned halfway toward him but let her hair slide over half her face like a shield. “What?”

“Did I beat you up in a past life or something?”

I closed my mouth. Scribbling busily on my paper, I carefully kept every atom in my body focused on the pair across from me.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Mia sounded prissy. But not afraid, so that was a good thing. I boosted Mia’s confidence even more, slowly, so slowly, like pouring honey from a jar.

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