Emotions are boiling through me. I can’t believe I made it through the whole course blindfolded. I can’t believe I autoported through the wall. But most of all, I can’t believe I heard Dad’s voice in my head.
After everyone has gone to bed, I sit down at my desk and power up my laptop. While I’m waiting, I dig into my pocket and pull out the merit badges Stella gave me after dinner. I pin them onto the bulletin board above my desk, next to the ones I’ve already earned. A dozen little badges of honor. I’m still getting used to the idea that my powers might actually be under control.
The beeping and whirring stops and I click open my IM. I don’t really expect my girls to be online—it’s crazy early in L.A. and I have no idea if Cesca even has Internet access in Paris—but amazingly enough, the smiley faces next to both their user names are bright yellow.
Cesca starts chatting before I can even say hello.
PrincessCesca: about time!
LostPhoebe: hi!!!
PrincessCesca: I only have a few
PrincessCesca: have to meet François in twenty
LostPhoebe: François?
GranolaGrrl: new French bf
LostPhoebe: you’ve only been there like a week!
PrincessCesca: not my bf
PrincessCesca: but he is deliciously yummy
I can’t help laughing. Leave it to Cesca to find a hot French boyfriend in record time. She never seems to have trouble attracting a guy—she just never seems to want to hold onto them for very long. Maybe this one will be different.
GranolaGrrl: speaking of bfs . . . what happened with yours?
LostPhoebe: we’re totally back together
LostPhoebe: I can’t believe I thought he was cheating on me
PrincessCesca: wait, what? you and G broke up?
LostPhoebe: only for a weekend
GranolaGrrl: I don’t believe in saying I told you so
GranolaGrrl: but I told you so!
LostPhoebe: I know
PrincessCesca: a girl makes one little trip to France and all hell breaks loose
I can just picture Cesca, crossing her arms over her chest and pursing her perfectly glossed lips in annoyance. It’s been too long since I’ve seen her and Nola.
LostPhoebe: any updates on visiting Serfopoula?
PrincessCesca: my sched is pretty busy
PrincessCesca: but I can always sneak away for a weekend
GranolaGrrl: the grant committee met
For several long, torturous seconds I stare at the blinking cursor. Waiting. Hoping. Waiting. It’s not like Nola to make us sweat like this.
LostPhoebe: and . . . ???
PrincessCesca: dish already, envirofreak
PrincessCesca: I got a hot date
GranolaGrrl: I
GranolaGrrl: won’t
GranolaGrrl: be
GranolaGrrl: there
My heart dips into my stomach. I know it was a long shot, but I was so counting on her coming, so looking forward to her visit.
PrincessCesca: damn
GranolaGrrl: until August!!!
LostPhoebe: omigods, yay!!!
PrincessCesca: well played, bi’atch
GranolaGrrl: you two can’t have all the fun ☺
PrincessCesca: gotta run
PrincessCesca: e-me the dates and I’ll be there
PrincessCesca: luck in your race tomorrow P
LostPheobe: thx Cesca
LostPhoebe: have fun with François
PrincessCesca: always XOXO
GranolaGrrl: night
Cesca’s smiley face goes blank. I’m always sad to say good-bye, but this time I’m more excited about them coming to the island at the end of the summer.
LostPhoebe: you know the Pythian Games are in August
LostPhoebe: if I make the team you guys can come
GranolaGrrl: of course you’ll make the team
GranolaGrrl: *victory* is assured <wink>
I smile at Nola’s Nike joke. Even though Damian let me tell my girls about the whole descendant-of-the-gods thing, we’re still not supposed to chat about it online. He’s convinced someone is going to intercept the transmission and spill the hematheos secret to the world.
He’s way paranoid, but I do not want to be on his bad side.
GranolaGrrl: I’m glad things worked out with Griffin
GranolaGrrl: he’s your perfect match
LostPhoebe: I think so too
GranolaGrrl: you better get to bed
LostPhoebe: yeah, gotta get up early
LostPhoebe: love you
GranolaGrrl: love you!
We sign off and I shut down the computer. I give the merit badges one last look before I tuck in. For the first time since Damian told me about the test, I’m feeling pretty confident. All I have to do is get through tomorrow’s trials and then everything will be cake.
“Ground my powers.”
Griffin rolls his eyes at me. “I am not grounding your powers,” he says. “Even if I could, I wouldn’t. You can control them on your own now.”