The Institute for The Extraordinarily Able

Chapter One

September 5, 2015...

I walked down the dormitory halls with my headphones in, hoping to find that at least one of my friends had arrived on campus for the year. Most of my friends go home to their parents or their relatives for the summer, some even live with them during the school year, but most try to stay on campus; my parents don't think that would be a good idea for me. They live off of the island, they're normal. My father's a skipped generation, lucky me. If I lived off of the island I wouldn't be safe, and they don't want to come live on the island with all of the "freaks" as mother's friends would call us. I mean, obviously her friends don't know that I'm an Unusual (or that this school exists) because if they did they sure as hell wouldn't be hanging around Mother much longer. Mother remarried to a Normal man, he doesn't know about the Unusual's abilities or where we reside either. Not that she would care enough to tell him, or even herself for that matter. To her husband I don't exist.

I took out my iPod to change the song, Toxic by Britney Spears had come on next and if there's anything that I really truly despise, it's that song. I paused in the hall for a second to scroll through my music library and the next thing I knew my iPod was on the ground and I was struggling to regain my balance. I glared at the tall boy in the hallway picking up my iPod, and then I started to feel a pain in my neck. My eyes widened as I fumbled to fix the thick silk choker around my neck, when I readjusted it I felt immediate relief.

"Hey, listen pal! Next time watch where you're going. What? Couldn't hear me coming as I was practically yelling the lyrics?" I snapped and put my hand on my hip, works every time. The brunette looked at me confused for a second, it was like he couldn't hear what I was saying. He opened his mouth to speak but I was already sighing in annoyance. I'm going to miss the incoming Student Ferry with my friends on it. He closed his mouth and smiled tightly.

"Sorry, that was my bad. Here's your iPod." He said in a strange accent and handed me my device.

"It's fine, I guess. But I'm guessing you're new since I've never seen you in my life so I'll give you a little warning. The other kids here aren't as forgiving as I am, so I'd watch it." I gave him a fake smile and waked off with my headphones back in. The ferry wouldn't be arriving until 2, so I had another half hour to kill.

*****
The ferry had fully docked and I practically leaped up off of the bench to meet my friends. I ran over to the gate and flipped my hair behind my shoulder, I don't have to worry about my neck in front of them. Elisa got of the ferry first and walked up to me, great...

"Well hey there, Amelia! How was your summer here on the island?" She giggled as she tossed her perfect blonde curly hair behind her shoulders. I took a deep breath and smiled back as nicely as I could. Winter, Summer, Damian, and Joe were behind her now.

"It was grand, and how was your summer back home with the family?" I replied sweetly, even though I knew full well how it went, thanks to the thousands of pictures from my dad.

"Los Angeles was fantastic! It's a shame you couldn't come; I mean obviously for some good reasons but seriously the beaches are amazing there! My mother and I couldn't get your father to get out of the water."

"The beaches?" I was actually genuinely confused. "How did you go into the water without your tail coming out?"

"Don't be dumb, Amelia. I obviously didn't go in! What? You think I'm looking to get murdered or something?" She rolled her eyes.

I apologized softly, how was I supposed to know what she was doing while she was in a different time zone all summer with my father? "It was just a thought, I was worried. One mistake and they could find all of us!" I said worriedly.