Wingspan(Paranormal, Young Adult) MAJOR EDITING**

11

"No. I met her at orientation. Why?" I didn't plan on being friends with Kira, I was simply curious.

"It's just...that they have a serious reputation around here. That's all." Jason says indifferently.

"Oh yeah?" I ask Jason. "Like what?" I didn't know Kirapersonally but I didn't like the thought of believing every stupid rumor that I heard.

"They're like a cult or something. I mean look what they wear," Mya declares and her posse seemed to nod atwhatever she had to say. She could have said there was an Indian burial ground in the woods behind Starkhouse and they wouldn't have challenged her. "All I'm saying is there's something off about them. You see the chick with the Mohawk? She's the crux; the center point and the rest of them rotate in a spindle around her every move. It's disgusting." Mya glared.

"I think she's their messiah but Jason disagrees with me."Brian leans forward like he was about to convey a secret. Much like the rest of them, I was suckered into wanting to know what it was. Kira was atypical and some part of me had understood what that was like. Brian stares from face to face, including mine.

A wave of goose bumps rolls up my arms as I sit on edge,waiting for Brian to say something already.

Brian grins roguishly, like he could no longer conceal hisflurry of excitement. He lowers his voice and leans closer. "What type of perverse sadism and masochism fetish you think they're into?" Brian asks the group.

Tasha giggles. "Tickle torture?"

I didn't intermeddle with the gossip, because I wasn't into sexual torture. Also, this was a human being they were talking about and not a fictional character on a telenovella. And even though I had only played a minor part in what Brian had started, I felt bad. I was betraying every benevolent conscientious philosophy that was humane and good-natured.

"Golden showers," Jason suggests, waggling his eyebrows and everyone except me laughs. The visual was enough for me to feel nauseated.

Someone's knee hit mine but I didn't say anything, because it was likely an accident and not worth mentioning. The conversation was all out there on the table and there were certain things that were too much pressure. Like their unspoken expectations for me to immediately hate Kira.

"Vertical suspension. Edgeplay," someone else suggests.

At first I didn't know what everyone was gawking at. They were watching Brian with quizzical looks, like they couldn't believe what they were seeing.

Bewildered, I peered toward him with furrowed brows.Brian stared off at nothing, bug eyed. He had a look on his face that was mysterious and unreadable.

Exasperated, Mya waved her hand in front of Brian's face;her multi-sparkle nails shimmering under the fluorescent lights, like rainbow fish scales. "Yo! What the hell was that all about?" Mya asks Brian, with a playful smile on her face.

Brian grins mischievously. "Sorry. I was just picturing a sex toy around my scrotum and dragging and squeezing my testicles." Brian winced as he brought a hand to his crotch.

Blushing, Mya leers at the same time as Tasha.

"Hedonist," Tasha scolds.

"That's all you got?" Jason says confidently. "A 5 pound parachute, now that's cock and ball torture."

"All righty then." I avert my eyes and rip a chunk off my pizza crust. I was still preoccupied with thoughts about Kiraand whether or not any of that stuff Mya had said was true. Thanks to Brian, I couldn't say that I disagreed about Kirabeing dominant. She certainly had the attitude pat down.

Fascinated, I watch Kira with her group of friends. I feltentranced by the hold she had over the angst-filled rocker types. Even the tall, muscular guys that looked as dangerous as Mya had forewarned seemed to obey Kira. Still, regardless of that friendly smile they wore for her, they maintained the same cocky, fearlessness and exaggerated masculine pride that repelled classmates from wandering near them.

The dashboard conventional Goths that stood by Kiragreeted her with a kiss on the cheek and embraced her in a hug. I watched as they conversed for a short while and then Kira took off, skipping her way over to me. She must've seen me staring at her.

I sank a little in my chair, but I

couldn't look away from Kira even though my neck tingled. It only did that when someone was staring at me intently. From birth I had a highly charged antennae of intuition that never failed. I could feel the irate glares coming from Brian and spreading across the table. It was as if I'd been the one to call her over. When she reached us, everyone fell quiet at the table.

"Hey, you," says Kira.

She smiled

as if she were ecstatic to see me