Mind Over Matter, Chapter 6

Just as I'm shutting the car door I spot my dad's car rounding the corner. "Oh, shit." Liz looks quickly at me.

"What?" The windows aren't tinted. If he gets close enough he'll be sure to spot me.

"Uh, nothing, just drive." She looks in the direction I am and it clicks. She starts the car and drives down the street like someone just driving through. I sink down in my seat a little as we pass by my dad's car. I look in my mirror to see him pull into the driveway. Almost ten minutes go by before either of us say anything.

"So, here's how I've got this worked out. The school is going to pay for a hotel room for you until you're of legal age to leave the state. This didn't come easy, Gemma. They do not approve of you running away, but I convinced them that if you'd stayed at home, you wouldn't be able to be a part of the program." I nod.

"Thank you, for whatever you said to get them to do this." She nods like it was no big deal. "I'm curious.." She glances over at me, telling me to continue. "How do you know I'm telepathic?" She smiles a little shyly.

"Actually, your friend Jarrod." My eyebrows shoot up.

"What?"

"He, uh, found the program and contacted us. Told us what you can do. We were skeptical at first, since what you can do doesn't follow the normal telepathy pattern, but decided it was worth a shot at finding out more. After all, why would he expose you, and himself, if it wasn't true?" She glances over at me and I look out my window. Jarrod? That can't be true. He wouldn't betray me like that. But.. he had been all for me trying the school out. He doesn't normally cheer for something like that, especially when he knows so little about it. Hang on..

"What do you mean, what I do doesn't follow the normal pattern?" Liz glances at the dash. It's almost 1 PM.

"I'd love to explain it all now, but we simply don't have the time. I promise, though, that I'll answer any and all questions you have after my meeting. Right now I really only have time to get you a hotel room." I nod. That was fine. That'll give me time to research this so called "program" a little more. As much as an out as this was, I wasn't about to jump two feet first into this from the little information I'd been given by a woman I don't know.

A few minutes later she pulls into the parking lot of the hotel. I was kind of disappointed we weren't leaving the city, but hey, if they wanna pay for one of the more expensive hotels, I'm not complaining. This will also give me a chance to talk to Jarrod face-to-face before I leave. I still can't really believe he'd do something like that, but I guess I'll find out.

I follow Liz into the hotel lobby, where she books me a room right down the hall from her own. She collects the key card and hotel information packet and leads me up to the third floor, room 303. I toss my bag on the bed and sit heavily beside it while looking around. It's simple enough. One queen sized bed, a desk with a lamp on it, t.v, closet, bathroom, bedside table also with a lamp, and a mini fridge.

"So this will be your room for the next couple weeks. Until your birthday, anyway. You can leave, but that's at your own risk. Same goes for friends coming here. I expect you'll want to talk to Jarrod. That's fine, so long as you don't give him the room telephone number."

"I've got a cell." She nods and looks around.

"I guess that's it. I wish I could stay and help you settle in, but you probably just want to be alone. I'll call you when the meeting is over so don't stray too far if you leave." I nod.

"Fine with me. I'll probably just hang out and watch t.v. Am I allowed to order room service?" Liz smiles and she readjusts her purse.

"Sure, but don't overdo it. I'll bring back something to eat, since it'll be coming to supper by that time." I nod again and make a show of laying back on the bed and picking up the remote. She shakes her head, looking amused, and shuts the door behind her as she leaves.

As soon as she's gone I toss the remote aside and dig my cell from my pocket. Time to check my texts. Five of them are from Jarrod, two from another friend at school, two from my mom, and one from my dad. I sigh and start with the ones from Becca.

where r u? every1s freakin out. txt bck.

wtf is goin on gem? txt me ASAP!

I decide to read Jarrod's before replying to her.

Do you know what's going on yet?

You're probably not awake yet are you?

Text me as soon as you can okay? Your parents are at the school freaking everyone out.

Garden Hose brought me in for questioning. How detective does that sound? Anyway, I cracked. I told them you spent the night at my house and have no idea where you are. I'm sorry.

Gemma text me back asap. My parents are flipping out.

I sigh. Poor Jarrod. I hadn't meant to bring him into this. I read on to the ones from my mom.

Gemma, please, your dad didn't mean whatever he said. You know how he gets. Come home and we'll fix this okay?

Sophie keeps asking for you. She wants to know when you're coming home.

That one pulls a bit. I feel bad for leaving Sophie with my parents. I brace myself and open the one from my dad. The one I'd received last night.

If I don't hear back from you within 12 hours I'm freezing your account, cutting off your phone, and notifying the police and the school. Everyone will be searching for you and I'll be damned if you leave this city.

I snort. Well, news to him, I already took everything out of my savings and my cell phone is under my name, so he can't close it if he tries. The police are going to be a problem though. I'll just have to hole up here until my birthday. I open a new text window and send the following text to Jarrod;

We have some talking to do.