I didn’t think I could get any happier. I didn’t want to sleep, couldn’t sleep, and I sure as hell didn’t want to sit through another two hours of school lessons, especially as my least favorite subjects were next: science and mathematics.
“I’ll see you after school,” Riley said, planting a quick kiss on my lips as we stood near the entrance to B wing. “Gotta go get changed for gym.”
“Lucky you. I’ll be lucky if I don’t doze off this afternoon. I wish lunch could last the rest of the day.”
“Wanna go for a swim after school?”
“Sure. But this time I’ll get into my swimsuit first.” I smiled, kissed him again, and then watched him disappear round the corner. I checked my watch. Two minutes left of freedom. It wasn’t worth going to find my sisters or friends, might as well head inside. I stepped into the corridor and blinked. The fluorescent light strips on the ceiling buzzed and glared as I walked toward the science lab. I blinked again. My eyes warmed, and each blink stung. Oh no, not again. I dashed into the girls’ bathroom and splashed water in my eyes. No relief. Only one thing would stop it. I went to take my phone from my bag to text my sisters, when the door flung open and Serena and Talia barged in, followed by Sasha and Tamara.
“We meet again,” Sasha said. “Let’s get this over with.” She held out her hands, and I grabbed one of them, my other hand taking hold of Serena’s once she removed it from her ear.
A jolt. Bubbles. The usual.
Similar to the other fire vision we’d had, flames grew to life, flicking and curling in one giant chaotic mess. A trail of flames ran along a corridor, as though it was primed with kerosene or something. There was no stopping it. C’mon, c’mon, give me something more! Show me something I can recognize! Where is the fire? Who lit it? C’mon!
A buzzer sounded. Huh? Now I was hearing things in my visions? It buzzed again, and Serena’s grip on my hand released.
“Agh! Is that a fire alarm? Is the fire here?” Serena dashed to the door, but Talia grabbed her arm.
“It’s just the school bell, that’s all. Lunch is over.”
“But it sounded like…oh, right.” Serena rubbed her ears. “Well, I heard a fire alarm in my vision, and then I thought it was really happening.” She trembled, and Talia put an arm around her shoulder.
“All I saw was flames, big ones. Should we try again?” I held out my hands.
“No, let’s try after school. I don’t want to be late for science,” Serena said, and I sighed.
With my eye pain gone, I walked with her to the lab, mentally gearing up for two hours of educational hell.
• • •
“Are you sure your sisters don’t hate me?” Riley asked, eyeing the four girls walking much faster than usual ahead of us.
“No, they don’t hate you. They’re probably just trying to give us some privacy.” And trying to get home ASAP to connect again.
I tightened my grip on my—check this out—boyfriend’s hand and swung it back and forth.
“In that case, let’s make the most of it.” A cheeky smile slid into his cheeks, and he stopped, leaning over and giving me something even better than chocolate. I could get used to this. With enough kisses to satisfy me for at least the next five minutes, six if I had the willpower, we resumed the walk home.
“So, you’ve given riding to school the flick?” I asked.
“For now. I’d rather walk with you.” He smiled. “Unless you want to get a bike of your own? Yes, then we could race each other!”
“I’d totally win.”
“No you wouldn’t. I might let you win at volleyball, but cycling? That’d be pushing it.”
“Nothing like a bit of healthy competition.”
“Yeah, for sure.” He stopped. “And nothing like this, either.” His arms wrapped around me and his soft lips gently pushed against mine.
Ahhh…bliss.
“Oh, geez, get a room!” Sasha called out, and I giggled, breaking away from Riley.
“She means that purely in the nonliteral sense,” Talia added.
“I’m guessing there’s never a dull moment at your house.” Riley cocked his head toward my sisters who had returned their gaze to where it belonged, straight ahead.
“That’s an understatement,” I replied, which was an understatement in itself.
We eventually made it to Roach Place, and Talia discreetly mouthed, “you coming?” when she got to the front door and turned her gaze to where I stood, halfway between Riley’s house and ours.
“So, see you back out here in five?” Riley asked.
“It’s obvious you don’t have a sister,” I said. “Not many girls can be ready in five.” I grinned.
“Ten?”
I glanced at the front door where Talia stood with her arms crossed. “Actually, could we make it in about half an hour instead? I forgot I had to help Serena with something.” I didn’t want to start this relationship off by lying, but I couldn’t exactly tell him that my sisters and I needed to hold hands and predict the future before our leisurely afternoon swim. Anyway, it wasn’t really a lie, I would be helping Serena with something: holding hands and predicting the future. What were sisters for?
“Yeah, no worries. See you in thirty.”
“Yep.” I planted a quick one on his lips and went inside, my sisters already waiting in the bedroom.
“Anyone would think you two weren’t going to see each other for another two months or something,” Sasha said, kicking off her shoes.
“Oh, shut it. You’re just jealous.” I crossed my arms.
“Am not. My perfect man is out there and he’ll turn up when the time is right.” She crossed her arms to match.
“Enough, you guys. We have important work to do.” Tamara held out her hands. “Not that I really want that burnt taste in my mouth again, but if there’s going to be another fire we might have a chance of stopping this one. Let’s get to it.”
This time the vision didn’t start with fire. I saw a packet of pills, I didn’t know what they were, but I—or whoever’s body I was seeing this through—tipped two out and brought them to my mouth. Then darkness for a while, then a door. Was that our front door? A hand that looked like mine, unless it wasn’t, opened the door and there stood Mr. Jenkins. Maybe he was seeing if we had any sugar he could borrow. But with the store an easy walk away, I doubted it. He didn’t smile, but his lips moved and I hoped Serena was sensing what he was saying, because my lip reading skills weren’t up to scratch. The image warped and blurred as though it was a fresh painting and water had been tipped on it, paint running down in liquid stripes. Boom! Orange flames burst into action behind Mr. Jenkins, and his finger was against his lips as though telling me to shush. Then blackness, with the odd flicker of yellow dancing across my eyes. Bubbles still rose and popped inside me, and this vision felt more intense than the others, more important. Another image. Oh no. I wished I hadn’t seen it. A newspaper with the headline:
Final fire claims eight lives.