Gifted

Part 6: Warning

       

The next morning, I was miraculously on time for history class.

    "Hey, Nora. Don't you think Mr. Matthews is staring at you a lot?" Jordan whispered to me from behind. Honestly, I had noticed, but I wasn't comfortable telling Jordan quite yet.

    "Um...he was? I hadn't noticed. Maybe he's still mad about yesterday." I said. I was sweating a little. Jordan gave me a doubtful look. I still had the aching suspicion that the man in my reoccurring dream was Mr. Matthews though I wasn't completely sure. Perhaps I mistook him for someone else. Besides, even if he was the man in my dream, that still didn't mean anything. It was just a dream after all. Still it bothered me. Every night I had that same dream and that same feeling of familiarity. When I looked at Mr. Matthews I felt that same feeling, and every time I felt that way, it was getting harder to ignore.

    "Hey, Mr. Matthews? Can I have an extension on my project?" Casper asked.

    "No." Mr. Matthews said.

    "Mr. Matthews? Did you teach anywhere before here?" asked Casper.

    "No." Mr. Matthews replied.

    "You look really nice today." said Casper.

    "Um..." Mr. Matthews responded uncomfortably.

    I noticed that my friend, Casper was talking in class far more than he usually did. After class, Casper walked over to Mr. Matthews and asked him more questions. I sat in the back with Elizabeth and Jordan, confused.

    "What's up with him?" I whispered to Jordan. She laughed.

    "Casper's going on a trip with his family next week and wants to ask Mr. Matthews if he can be excused from all the homework during that time.

    "Really? They couldn't wait for winter break to do that?" I asked her. She shrugged.

    "Apparently his father won a trip to some fancy beach resort on a radio show. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity and they don't want to miss it. Casper gets great grades though, and I don't think he wants to sacrifice all of that for just one trip." Jordan explained.

    I rolled my eyes. Casper was such a teacher's pet even though he was quiet everywhere else. He was more vocal today than usual, but he always badgered the teachers for attention. He explained to us once that it helped with grades, but I wasn't completely convinced of his theory yet. I thought he ended up annoying the teachers instead, like he was currently doing to Mr. Matthews.

    Casper Grey was one of two boys in my friend group. The other was Ken Thompson, who also happened to be Jordan's boyfriend. Casper was true to his name, a thin ghostly looking boy who had the ability to walk through walls. He had light slivery hair, pale skin, and grey eyes. Though his official ability was to become intangible, he also had a talent for going unnoticed, due to his personality and appearance. He was usually quiet and slow to warm up to people, but once he was your friend, he was incredibly loyal. The only time he was ever loud was when he needed something in class. I was very glad when he started hanging out with us halfway through sophomore year. He had been sitting alone all through freshmen year, and one day, Jordan decided to invite him over to our lunch table. After that, we had no regrets. Casper was interesting, fun, and kind. The fact that no one had appreciated his existence or made an effort to become his friend before, was a very unfortunate mistake.

    "Please, I'm very busy right now." Mr. Matthews said as he rose from his desk. "Yes you may have an extension on all assignments during your vacation as long as you turn them in as soon as possible. Now, if you don't have any more questions about history, I'd appreciate it if you left me alone to my work." he said politely. Casper frowned. Suddenly, Mr. Matthews' expression changed. "On second thought, I need to deliver some papers to the main office. Would anyone like to volunteer to help me? I will provide a late pass for whoever helps." he said while looking straight at me.

    "I'll help! My next class is math!" Casper volunteered.

    "No, no. That's a very important class. I can't keep you from that. How about you, Nora?" he asked. Jordan and Elizabeth exchanged glances.

    "Well...I have english next so..." I began, but I couldn't think of a valid excuse in time.

    "Please come with me. It will only take a moment." he insisted. All I could do was nod.

    It wasn't until we were walking down the hall that I realized that Mr. Matthews wasn't carrying any papers at all, nor did he give me any to help him with. I started to wonder what his real motive was. Was it possible that he was still upset with me about being late? But, then again, he didn't seem all that upset before, so that couldn't be it.

    "Let's go this way." said Mr. Matthews as he led me down the winding hallways.

    "Ok." I said even though I wasn't sure this way led to the main office.

    "Um... Mr. Matthews?" I asked.

    "Please. When we are alone you may call me Ian." he said. That made my heart jump. I felt sick. "What's wrong?" he asked. Does he really not know why that would bother me? He was staring intently at me again.

    "Well...I guess..." I began. I was too uncomfortable to ask him why he was acting so weird. "Ian... Is that really ok? I mean I know I've been in your class every year of high school, but I never hear anyone else call you by your first name. Why would you prefer me to call you by your first name?" I asked. His face froze. I couldn't read his expression, and I wondered if I had said something wrong. He was completely silent. "I'm sorry for all the questions. I guess it shouldn't really matter." I said trying to recover. "I mean you're still a person, right? I'll just call you whatever you like." I said. I panicked. I felt like I had asked a really strange and stupid question.

    "Nora." he said which made me jump a little.

    "Yeah?" I asked.

    "Tell me... Do you have people in your life that are important to you? People you can't live without?" he asked. "Like your family? Friends?" he continued.

    "Huh?" I asked startled by the sudden change of conversation. The question was so out of the blue.

    "Well? Do you?" he asked again.

    "Well, yeah of course I do. All of my family and friends are precious to me. I love them." I said. A somber expression came over Mr. Matthews.

    "That's good. If that is true, then I have a warning for you. If you truly love those people, you should make them your priority, and protect them at all costs. However, you should never try to change for them or anyone. No matter what, you are fine the way you are now. For if you do change, you will become a stranger to your loved ones, and you will lose everything that was once precious to you." he said.

    I couldn't understand what he was saying at all. I didn't think anyone but my closest friends knew about my lack of ability, but I figured it must be on some school record somewhere. I wasn't sure if my powerlessness what Mr. Matthews was talking about. There was no way to change myself anyways. I was a freak without an ability, so Mr. Matthews didn't have to worry. And with that, I realized that we had arrived at the main office. Mr. Matthews opened the door and went inside without me.

    "Mr. Matt- I mean Ian?" I asked, but he had already closed the door behind him. I turned and went to my next class. I was so confused by what Mr. Matthews had just told me, that I didn't feel like asking him for a late pass.