Mind readers

Chapter 1

Every day it's the same wake up earlier than id like to, put on a little make up to make myself look slightly less like the walking dead, I try to dress in the best baggy sweater and jeans I have as I always do and im out the door and walking to the bus by 7:30.
We are the only students that take the transit bus so early in the morning. as always we exchange awkward smiles, every now and then he'll give a little snicker or chuckle. Im usually just lost in thought either thinking about what I need to get done and my own little fantsasy life I wish I had. The bus arrived a little before 7:50 as usual Carson sits in the back while I sit in the front and like every day I can feel his gaze on me. When I turn around to return his heavy gaze he looks away and stares out the window. His straight blonde hair that went just past his ears falling across his earthy hazel eyes that were framed with all the little freckles he had on his nose and upper cheekbones. We share  the same interest in writing and books, we are a part of the same book and writing clubs after school on the weekdays.as the bus comes to a slow halt, I take a large step off and trudge up the sidewalk to my school. A blast of warm air hits me as I enter into the main lobby, a radio playing the radio eaccos through the hallways.
'Scientist have proven that over 55% of the earth current population can hear and read other peoples thought. Although an ongoing study has been established scientist believe that these 'mind interpretures' can only read the minds of those they have a strong connection to.'
The news didn't really register in my mind until I reached my locker. People can read minds now, its actually a thing not just a bedtime story or kids game its real.
'pretty crazy hey?' someone says behind me as I shut my locker and turn to see its Carson
'Oh um yeah, I just wonder if there are any in our school. Maybe if you scream in your head they could hear that' I stuttered as stared into his eyes. They were brown with flecks of gold and green in them, he still had paint on his hand and shirt form what I presume to be from the night before.
'huh, that's a good idea' Carson joked as he sauntered away
'maybe if you scream in your head they can hear' how stupid could I have been? That's was just plain pathetic. How could I be so pathetic. I had Admired Carson all summer during our writing camps and how profound and exquisite his work was and now he finally acknowledges me and im completely imcompetent. I walk to the bathroom comepletely lost in my thoughts. Plainly looking in the mirrior to see my mass of usually beachy waves had turned into a tangled mass of black hair, pulling a tiny hair brush out of my bag I try and correct whatever issue arises with my hair. My eyes still red and puffy with tired written all over them, After fixing my hair I speed walked to the library looking into my purse to find my journal and books I sit in my chair to realize someone was already in it. I look up and meet the gaze of grey eyes
"Can I help you?" The stranger said flirtatiously.
I bounce up from the seat and turn to face the person I accidentally sat on.
"I'm sorry I didn't see you there. Ill go now." I mumble as I try to hide my red cheeks behind me book
" it's all right, you  lost in thought I guess. I'm Asher." Asher said as he held out his hand. I hesitantly took it, as Asher raised my hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on the back of my hand.  I pull away first and go to sit in the corner of the library to continue writing. The morning passes by and the bell rings to go to my english class. As I turn to leave I catch Ashers focused gaze.  I leave with a greater hast then before, as I walk into my class I see a Carson in the middle row slouching in his desk. I sit two desk away and notice his eyes are once again intently staring  at me, I meet his gaze and raise an eyebrow he quickly smiles and looks away. I wonder if anyone in this class is a mind reader. Could it be the teacher because they can tell when anyone is cheating. Scream in you head, maybe they'll hear you. If it doesn't work then no harm no foul, I let out a huge scream in my head and as I look around the room and Carson flinches and winces against my scream. His eyes look around the room and fall to me, my eyes widened. He can read my mind. That's why he always sporadically laughs at the bus stop and in my classes he can hear my thoughts. I send out another message to him.
"If you can read my mind meet me in the hallway outside. We have something to discuss." 
I look once more and Carson quietly gets up and leaves the room, I slowly get up and leave. Once I'm out of the class my pace quickens to an almost jog looking for Carson. I catch up to him just as he's trying to leave the school.
"Hey!" I yell I'm in almost a full run I grab his shoulder and spin him to face me
"You can read my mind?!" I harshly whisper
"Yes" Carson says trying to catch his breath.
" for  how long?"  I stare at him waiting for an answer. He refuses to meet my angry gaze.
"HOW LONG CARSON!l" I yell
"Since we met at camp" he whispered
As he refuses to look me in the eyes
"So you know every thing." I say as I feel my cheeks heat up and I look to the floor.
He now looks into my eyes
"Yes. I know how your father beat you and your mother until he went to jail. I know how your an only child and you mother won't leave her room. I know your really good at singing even if you don't think so and I know all about how you like me." He said as he step in closer and he continued to step forward until I'm against a wall and he's looking over me. I refused to look anything but angry, my very. Privacy has been invaded by someone Who I think about on a regular basis
"I know your best friend is Iliana and she lives two houses away from you. How you hate that your cheekbones are too high and that you blue eyes are to bright for you skin tone. I know that you write a lot and that your worried about passing math class this year. Yes i know everything" he said looking at my lips. He traces the line of my collar bone with his fingers and gently traces my lips before he leans in and gently kisses me. I could hardly think about anything. My anger now melts into sweet dripping honey that leaves once his lips touch mine. I daydreamed of this...to many times to count and now it's happening and I can hardly think straight.
"She can't know..." Carson voice  rings in my head
"She can't know about this yet... we still have 5 more days"
  His kissing becomes more hungry. More desperate than before. 5 days.. in 5 days.
"Carson stop." I say pulling away.
"What's wrong" he says lips still grazing mine.
"What's happening in five day?" I ask as he fully pulls away. Staring into my eyes with great bewilderment. 
"Nothing it's just a appointment"he says looking at me fixing his glasses.
"Wait you heard me?" His eyes widen as he looks at me.
"Carson you said it out loud" I chuckle. Trying to convince myself also.
"Did I?" He. Said scratching his head as he wipes my lipstick from his face.
"Yes you did. We better get back to class" I say as I walk past him.
"I'm just going to go. Text me the notes for English?" He said as he walked backwards to the door
"Yes but this conversation is not finished" I raise my eyebrow.
"Okay. I'll meet you at your house around 6 okay?" He says as he walks through the door.
"This is not good. We had 5 more days. It happened earlier than I expected... we have a problem."
The thought rings through my mind like a tiny bell.
"What's the problem?"  A second voice come into my mind but instead of a tiny bell it's more like a bong in my head.
"She knows about me and I think she can read minds now"
"How can you tell?" The voice getting louder as I walk
"She asked about something I thought while I was kissing her."
"You kisses her?!"
"I had to She was asking questions. To many to be exact"
"Remember who your dealing with kid". 
What were they planning in 5 days. This is what I had to decide play stupid and use this to my advantage later or confront them now. I didn't know who was the second mind reader but I know it was a he and that he was very powerful compared to Carson. I decide disputes my spiteful judgement to stay silent and use it later to my advantage. Instead of going back to class I walked up to the library and looked for every single book fiction or nonfiction on mind reading. Mind reading, it's a noun. The use of ones brain to telepathically read the brain waves of another brain. Mostly thought as a myth but early man look to have communicated through means of not speaking. I slowly close the book and slump into my chair, my head was buzzing and fuzzy from all the voices that were in it. People were thinking about calculus homework or who they were going to make out with at the party tonight. Thought came and went like snowflakes, some stayed around for a long time anf others where gone before they even came. Clumps of other peoplesthought still circling the drain that was my head I couldn't help but be very disoriented, concentration was almost seemed impossible.
"I know you can hear me.."
I froze in my place as I peek over the Large leather bound book resting in my lap. he was looking staight at me from his own seat In the opposite corner of the library,
"So are you going t own up to it or not?" 
The thought made my head explode with pain. I winced from the pain. It was like he took a baseball bat to my brain. My Vision Started spotting. All I could think of was GET OUT!! I sprinted from my seat at the same time Asher sprung from his seat and started chasing after me. But he doesn't know the school like I do, I rounded every corner to confuse him. I dont know how I had so much energy to run around my school long enough to gain a large enough lead to hide in the fire escape staircase.
"I know where you are.."
I froze in my place. My thoughts. He know where I am because of my thoughts! He can track me!
I calmed my breaths and forced my mind to close Like an iron door. My mind moaned in pain as I visualized locking the door like a vault.
"I'm coming for you even if I can't hear your thoughts princess" I curled up in the hidden corner under the stair case  only I knew about from days spent hiding and eating my lunch during spare time to get away from all the people. I feel my mind waver for a second. I closed it instantly but the door to the staircase crashed open as I could feel Asher looking around and pacing and walking up to the top and down to the bottom.
"I know your In here Valerie"
I could hear the smirk on his face
" I'm here as a friend, I know I scared you but i didn't expect you to bolt. Can you come out so we can talk"
I curled into myself even more than before I couldn't stop shaking but I kept my mind and my mouth shut. Then the door opened again. 
"Did you find her?" Said Carson in a low tone
"No she playing hard to get" chuckled Asher.
"Don't you say that about her." Growled Carson
"Why shouldn't I? I'm only speaking the truth Carson" Asher said light heartedly as their steps came closer to my hiding spot. My heart stopped as tears started sliding down my cheeks.
"She's not in here Asher" Carson said as his steps rescinded to the door
"No I know she's in here. She's a clever fox that one. She's known about her abilities for what an hour and she can already close her thoughts off. It took you years to do that Carson. Any who she faultered and opened them for a split second and she was in here" Asher spoke in a plain tone
"She could have easily gone through any of the doors to the upper floors asher. She's probably halfway home by now."
"Fine. Your still meeting with her at six right?" Inquired Asher
"Yes I am why?"
"Maybe I should crash the party" laughed Asher
"Don't you dare!" Carson said raising his voice
"Wow your so protective of her. Maybe is it that you like her" snickered Asher
"You asshole!" Yelled Carson as a bang hit the wall next to where I was sitting I flinched against the noise which I could only assume was Carson shoving Asher against a wall.
"Don't play so innocent Carson you have listened to Valerie's thoughts for 3 years now. I can't help but think of how many times you've taken advantage of your ability and stolen a thought or two from her to help yourself along" growled Asher and I hear him knock Carson in the ground,
" now let's see how many you've stolen" Crowed Asher. I couldn't help but look around the corner of my hiding space and watch now that they had turned on each other. Asher placed a hand on Carson forehead and no matter how hard Carson tried to get Asher off of him Asher had him pinned with his legs.
"Asher get the fuck off of me before I kick your ass all the way back home" spat Carson

Asher with his other hand opened his palm and clear images appeared like a video. Some were mine others were his. I could tell by the change in the colours of each dream. Mine were us sitting writing in a coffee shop as he places a kiss on my forehead while I'm deep into writing but the image faded to my long black hair flowing away from my bare back as I lay in his bed sleeping from what I assume was a long night. He looks at the memories with dispair as his long held secret is exposed. The thoughts still dancing at the top of Asher's palm as I look back and watch the thoughts again it's still the same but this time it's the thoughts that took place before the first. Carson kissing me in his room. The kisses looked hungry and desperate as he and I make our way to the bed I see myself whisper
"Carson I love you" I say just above a whisper as he places gentle kisses on my neck. Then he pulls back and kisses me
"I love you too" he says as his lips graze mine and the thoughts fade away
"Well you've been a busy boy! Know wonder you can never focus on anything when you have that to go home for" laughed Asher
"Asher just get off of me. I'm done helping you" said Carson weakly
"I think I'm going to keep these. Maybe remove you and add me instead I know I would get a kick out of these memories"
"You fucking sick bitch!" Yells Carson as he punches Asher and throws him against a wall.
Carson and I meet each others eyes and all I can do is run. I sprint out of the stairway and run as fast as I can. I don't know where but I have to get out of here, I dart out the front of the school and run straight into a crowded sidewalks where thoughts were running wild. My hearing rang in my ears and my vision started to blur
"Valerie! Wait!" Carson called after me as I saw his blond hair swiftly moving through the crowd. I couldn't help but feel horrified from what I had seen, I didn't stop I kept going I pushed throw the pain and closed of everyone's thoughts but Carson so I could find out where he was. Like a little light his thoughts started to whirl around me like a typhoon. He was a couple metres back from me, his thoughts made him glow like a lightbulb to me.
"Valerie please don't do this to me"
Carson's thoughts ring through my head like a bell
"I can't believe she was hiding in there the whole time. She must be powerful if she could close her mind off so quickly"
As I low my stride and walk with my head down from the alleyway a warm hand wraps around my wrist and pulls me into the alleyway.
I let out a scream in my mind and let all my thoughts pool out from me. I can feel their sad and confused but it's strong enough for Carson to find me if this person was to hurt me.

My head hits the brick wall hard the person that grabbed me has me pinned against the wall.
" Valerie! Where are you!" Carson thought burst into my mind
"I'm in an alleyway. Someone pulled me in and I can't leave"
I sent my message out to Carson.  I keep my eyes closed I don't know what was about to happen but I didn't want to witness it
"Oh come on Valerie. We're friends aren't we??" Laughed Asher
"You! How did you know where I was!" I yelled as I push against him trying to free myself my hair whipping through the air. I must look crazy
"You may be powerful but I have more experienced than you ever thought. Blocking Carson is easy for anyone but blocking me is hard enough without adding another person." He smiled a sick smile as he brought his mouth sickly on the side of my cheek
" I also know I have about 2 more minutes before Carson reached the allay thanks to you". Whispered Asher as he moved a stray strand of black hair out of my face.
But I'm not helpless without Carson I've lived through more than anyone, as Asher brings his lips to mine I kick him in the stomach as hard as I could, he buckled over coughing and I mentally reach out to his thoughts each and every string that appears to attach to him I cut as he moans in intense pain I let a large scream to his mind. It's painful even for me to release the scream and Asher wraps his arms around his head as he yells in pain
" you may be powerful Asher but you underestimated you opponent. It would do you some good to show some respect" I weakly say as I start waking out of the alleyway. Everything looks fuzzy as I exit out of the darkness of the alleyway. But my knees buckle below me and I land on my hands and knees, I was so exhausted I couldn't keep going.
"Valerie.." spoke Carson as he picked me up and carried me away from Asher. As much as I didn't want to I curled into Carson's warm body and let the exhaustion take over me as Carson carried me...