“Yes?”
“I really wish it was someone else—just about anyone else—but our guests would like to speak with you after lunch.”
“Me?” I really couldn’t believe this.
“Unfortunately. I would have suggested someone more pleasant, but they picked you. Come to the office when the bell rings.”
I was too stunned to say anything. I just sat there and watched him walk away. Anyone but me, I thought. All I had to do was spend ten minutes in a room with the inspectors and they’d probably decide to call in an air strike to wipe Edgeview off the map. At the very least, they’d probably boot me out immediately, no matter what the regulations might be.
“Do you really care what happens to Edgeview?” Lucky asked me.
I thought about Principal Davis and his punishments. I thought about Mr. Parsons and his anger. But I also thought about Mr. Briggs and his passion for teaching. And Miss Nomad, who cared too much. And Ms. Crenshaw, who tried to make classes interesting. And I thought about all the kids who needed some place in the system. I nodded.
A strange smile flitted across Lucky’s lips. “Personally, I wouldn’t bother. But if that’s what you want, then it’s time to use your power, Martin.”
FROM A DRAFT OF A REPORT BY
DR. LENORE HARPER ON THE STATUS OF
THE STATE’S ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS
TALENT
The statement was so strange, I didn’t even react to it for a moment. Finally, I said, “What are you talking about? I don’t have any power.”
Lucky snorted out a laugh. “Hey—where have I heard that before? It sure sounds familiar. We didn’t admit our own powers until you forced us to accept the truth. It’s the same with you. You have a talent, too. You can’t see yours. But we sure can.”
“That’s crazy,” I told him.
“There’s that word again. You know I don’t like it.” He shook his head. “I’ll ask you the same question you asked us. Why are you here?”
“Because I got kicked out of a bunch of other schools,” I said.
“But why?” Lucky asked.
“I talk back. You know that. I’ve got a smart mouth.”
“Big deal. A lot of kids talk back,” Lucky said. “Just about every kid on the planet talks back. But you go way beyond that. You have a gift. You know how to hurt someone. You know how to dig deep and hit a nerve.”
“It’s like Torchie’s grandfather,” Flinch said. “The one he told us about who always pats him where he’s hurting. Except you do your hurting with words. Whether you mean to or not, you always hit the target.”
“Crazy,” I said again.
Lucky reached out and grabbed both my shoulders, then leaned forward and put his face right in front of mine. “You hate this, Martin. You hate having someone in your face—especially an adult. And when someone gets too close, you hit him hard. That’s your talent. You know where it hurts.”
“Stop it.” I tried to pull away.
“No. Say some painful words, Martin. Hurt me. Prove it. I’m in your face. You hate this. Let me have it. Cut my heart out.” He leaned so close his forehead butted up against mine.
I jerked against his grip, but he held on, his fingers digging into my shoulder muscles. I stared at a face that was so close I couldn’t even focus on it, hating the feel of his hot breath washing over me. The words shot out. “You’re pretty cocky for a kid who still wets his bed.”
I felt the fingers go loose. Lucky jerked away from me.
“I’m sorry,” I said. I didn’t know where those words had come from, but I’d have given anything I owned for a chance to take them back. “I didn’t mean—”
Lucky swallowed hard, and his cheeks grew red. “That’s … okay … It doesn’t matter. I had to prove it to you.”
“Is that true?” Torchie asked.
“Shut up,” Flinch said to him.
I knew, by the look on Lucky’s face, that it was true. He’d risked humiliation to show me that I had some sort of power. Even so, I didn’t want to believe him. I wanted to pound his face with my fists and scream that he was wrong.
“Your power is pretty obvious,” Cheater added. “Once we figured it out, it was really amazing watching you in action.”
“No …” I tried to protest. But in my heart, I knew anything I said would be a lie. My world had been yanked on its side. Or flipped inside out. The past flooded over me, all those times I’d lashed out. All the pain I’d caused. Striking. Slashing. A thousand injured faces littered the trail of destruction I’d carved.