The Whisper Seekers

In My Head

I stare at him but neither of us says anything. We don't have to because we can hear everything we're thinking.

"Make it stop!" I shriek and I put my hands over my ears. I shake my head, but I can still hear everything I think as an echo. I am trying to be careful with what I think but I feel exposed, freaked out, and vulnerable. I have to take back control.

"Get out of my head Liam!" I threaten and he shoots me a glare. 

"Get out of your head? You're in everyone's head all the time and you never seem to mind."

"Don't act like you know anything about me just because you and I share this freakish talent!" I yell back at him.

"Oh, that's right. I forgot that's what you call manipulating people. A talent," Liam scoffs and I am now filled with rage. I hit the car door and continuously pull on the handle until he unlocks the car door. I leap out and slam it shut while glaring at him. I spin around to march up to my front door, but quickly flip back around and start towards his car. I tap on the passenger window and he slowly rolls it down.

"This isn't over. But I am slightly drunk, freaked out, and exhausted, so I will deal with you tomorrow. Text me your address and I will see you in the morning." I don't even give him a chance to respond as I fly back up my steps and through the front door. My house is surprisingly dark and quiet and then I remember my mom is still at her charity event. Looks like I won't get busted for curfew after all. I kick off my shoes at the bottom of the banister and sluggishly climb the spiral stairs up to my room. My brain has been asking me, "What the hell?" every two seconds since I got out of Liam's car. I flip on the light in my room and see my reflection in my full-length mirror. My hair is matted and frizzy and my eyes are stained with mascara. My cheeks are rosy and swollen from crying and my skirt is hiked up so high I look like I came from working a corner instead of a high school party. I'm mortified that Liam saw me like this and even more upset that he's been hearing my thoughts. He has seen me at my most vulnerable and it makes me feel extremely uncomfortable. Now I know how my friends and parents would feel if they ever found out about what I have heard. It's a horrible feeling. They probably couldn't look me in the eye again.

After I put on a baggy t-shirt and yoga pants, I crawl into bed still completely freaked out about the accident and Liam's abilities. My plush comforter wrapped around me gives me some sense of security but I am still wound up. So there are others like me out there. I've always wondered but wasn't exactly sure how to research the topic. Liam said he was surprised I hadn't figured it out yet, but how would I? What did I miss? Was the fact that I never heard his thoughts the biggest clue? But then how could he hear mine? My phone buzzing startles me and I reach over to my nightstand to read the screen. Harper. I debate answering but I should make sure she's okay.

"Hello."

"Where are you?" She barks and I almost hang up on her.

"Home... where are you?"

"At Piper's, waiting for my mom to pick me up. The cops came and a ton of us got underage drinking tickets and had to call our parents. Lily ran but I got caught trying to hide."

"I told you to get in the car," I mutter but I'm sure she doesn't want an, "I told you so" right now. I'm not even sure what she does want from me right now.

"Listen Ellie, I didn't mean to attack you. I just don't get why you are all over Liam. It was just the alcohol and still being embarrassed about what happened at the game that when I heard him calling you, I just snapped. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told everyone you're a virgin, even though like, everyone already knows. And I know you were trying to save me from trouble." She finishes and I don't respond right away. The silence clearly bothers her because she continues, "Please, can we just go back to a week ago? Before I went all boy crazy. You and Derek are perfect together and I shouldn't feel threatened by you when it comes to Liam. I know you are just friends." She must think I am an idiot because otherwise, she wouldn't try to feed me such a ridiculous line. She's trying to remind me that I have Derek and need to lay off Liam. But now that I literally just found out Liam and I have a weird connection, there is no way I can back off now.