the telepath | vii
WHERE DO YOU BELONG?
---
It's safe to say that from that point on, I wasn't exactly very social.
I spent most of my days holed up in my room, only emerging for meals, and even then, keeping mostly to myself. No one seemed to notice my absence, and I wasn't sure if that was a blessing or a curse. I never really felt like I fit in. In fact, I wasn't even sure if I'd ever fit in at all.
By now, I could recall every detail of my ceiling from countless hours spent lying on my bed, hair splayed out, sighing like a moody teenager in a cliché movie. Today was no different.
That's when I heard the voices.
People were outside my door, speaking in hushed tones clearly meant to be private.
"That's not fair, Olive," Emma's airy tone argued. I could almost see her, arms folded and eyebrows furrowed.
"I know what I heard. She was all over him the first week, then to say something so cruel— That's what's not fair," Olive's voice, quieter but still audible, carried a genuine tone of upset rather than anger. However, having eavesdropped in the first place, I felt no sympathy. What did she know about the situation? Why was it her place to say anything when she wasn't even involved?
"What does he think of this?" Emma asked, clearly exasperated.
"He— he doesn't care. He never liked her anyway."
He never liked her anyway.
The words echoed in my head, making my heart sink and my stomach twist even tighter. I knew who they were talking about. Enoch. He never liked me. What I'd told Emma was true—I didn't like him the way she might have liked Abe—but after spending so much time together, I'd hoped we'd at least be friends. Still, I couldn't understand why the comment stung so much. But I knew I'd had enough of the conversation.
It took no more than three steps to reach the door and swing it open, glaring at the guilty faces before me.
"Maybe next time you talk about someone, you should check if their room is occupied," I snapped, brushing past them without a second glance.
My shoulder bumped Olive as I passed, not intentional but satisfying nonetheless. The brief contact allowed me a glimpse into her mind—she was scared. Scared I'd steal Enoch, scared I'd steal Emma, scared she'd be pushed out and replaced by me.
Despite pitying her, my anger didn't subside. Why hadn't she just talked to me? She'd seemed so nice at first; I'd almost considered us friends. Clearly, I was wrong.
I wasn't sure where I was heading, but I needed to get away. The library was out—too many older ones with too many questions. Instead, I found myself in the garden, letting the warm sun wash over me, back in my travel clothes because the sight of the dress Emma had lent me made me feel sick.
I longed to go back to the time when I felt like I was becoming part of this family. When Emma gave me her dress, and Olive taught me about everyone's peculiarities. When Enoch let me watch him work. Well, that last one was my fault for not trying to reach out to him, but the point still stood.
No, scratch that. I wanted to go back to Ireland. I missed our tiny home, my dog, my mum, and my friends.
Without realizing it, I'd started crying, tears streaming down my face as sobs wracked my body. I wrapped my arms around myself tightly, wishing for some privacy in this enormous house. It was ironic to be surrounded by people yet feel so alone. The humor wasn't lost on me, but I was in no mood to laugh.
YOU ARE READING
The Telepath » Enoch O'Connor
Fanfiction"So you can read minds?" He asked with a flash of curiosity to his eyes mixed with slight panic. "Read them, play with them, anything I want really. Why? Is there something you don't want me to see, Mr. O'Connor?" · Robyn Animo has only known she w...
