I narrowed my eyes. Dad sat beside her, both of them barely holding back their laughter. Their amusement only fueled my frustration.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," I said, crossing my arms. One second, I was on the stairs. The next, I was in my room like—like some invisible hand just threw me in!"
Dad chuckled, finally giving up the act. "Well, the other day, you asked about your mom's powers," he said, leaning back onto the couch. "That was one of them."
I blinked. "Seriously?"
Mom smiled, tilting her head. "Just a little nudge."
"A nudge? I nearly face-planted into my bed!"
Dad laughed harder. "You should've seen your face."
I groaned, rolling my eyes. "You didn't have to scare me with it."
Mom shrugged, a knowing glint in her eyes. "Where's the fun in that?"
"Well, some don't see it as fun. "They use it as an excuse to misbehave—just like Ada, the girl at my school.
Mom turned to me, brows pinched in curiosity. "Misbehave how?"
I huffed, crossing my arms. "She walks around like she owns the world or something. "I don't even know what her powers are, but Simi told me she's ruthless and that I should be careful around her."
Mom's expression darkened slightly, but she kept her voice light. "Then you should listen to Simi."
I nodded, though the uneasy feeling lingered.
The next morning, Mom dropped me off at school. As we pulled into the lot, my eyes caught Simi stepping out of a sleek black car. She adjusted her bag on her shoulder, her face unreadable. Something about her stance—rigid, almost wary—made me pause.
Something felt...off.
I barely waited for the car to stop before unbuckling my seat belt. "Bye, Mom!" I said over my shoulder, already pushing the door open.
Simi stood a few feet away, arms crossed, gaze fixed on the ground. Something was off.
I jogged toward her. "Hey. What's wrong?"
She sighed, shaking her head. "Nothing. Just… my brother found out about the fight with Ada. Now my parents know too. I've been grounded for a week."
"Seriously?" I winced. "That sucks."
She shrugged. "It's nothing serious. I'll get past it."
"Well…" I hesitated. "Speaking of your brother, what's his name?"
"Benji. Why?"
I stopped dead in my tracks, eyes widened. "No way."
Simi narrowed her eyes. "What?"
"I think I saw him yesterday."
She straightened. "Where?"
"At my place. My dad invited him over. He said they work together."
For a second, Simi just stared. Then, suddenly, she leaned in, eyes sharp. "Did you look him in the eyes?"
I blinked. "Huh?"
"Did you look my brother deep in the eyes?"
I frowned, trying to recall. "I don't know. Why?"
Simi exhaled, rubbing her temple. "If you did, then he probably read your mind."
My breath hitched. "What?"
She nodded grimly. "Apart from teleporting, Benji can read minds."
Simi exhaled sharply, her expression unreadable. "And I think that's how he found out about the fight." And did you say anything about me in front of him?"
Her gaze flicked to mine, sharp and expectant.
I swallowed. "I was just telling my dad I had made a new friend on my first day. I guess that's when I mentioned your name."
Simi let out a breath, shaking her head. "Then he definitely read your mind."
A chill ran through me. The idea of someone sifting through my thoughts without my permission sent a wave of unease down my spine.
"I'm sorry," I muttered, guilt creeping into my voice.
She shrugged. "No need." It's not your fault."
The tension lingered for a moment before her lips curled into a smirk. "So… you ready for detention?"
I blinked. "Oh." The realization crashed into me. "I almost forgot."
Simi chuckled. "Miss Akpan's in charge. She's strict but fair. Before you know it, we'll be out."
"That doesn't sound too bad," I said.
She sighed dramatically. "Except for one thing."
I narrowed my eyes. "What?"
Her smirk widened. "We're skipping lunch."
A groan slipped past my lips as we stepped onto the assembly ground, the crowd of students already gathering, their murmurs blending into a low hum.
No lunch. A mind-reading stranger. And detention.
Could this day get any worse?
The assembly ended within minutes, students dispersing like scattered petals as they hurried to their classes. The day blurred by—four endless lessons, each one dragging like time itself was punishing me. But the real weight pressing on my chest wasn't the classes. It was the detention waiting for me at lunch.
When the bell rang, the usual excitement of the lunch break buzzed through the halls, but Simi and I walked in the opposite direction, toward the detention room. The further we went, the quieter the corridor became, the noise of the cafeteria fading behind us.
Inside, Miss Akpan was already waiting, her sharp eyes locking onto us the moment we entered.
"I assume I don't need to remind you of the rules," she said, her voice steady, unreadable.
Simi and I exchanged glances before shaking our heads.
"One hour," Miss Akpan's gaze flicked between us. If you behave, it'll pass quickly. If not… She let the sentence hang in the air, the unspoken threat making my shoulders stiffen.
She motioned toward the two chairs placed exactly a foot apart—deliberate, designed to keep us from whispering.
Simi sighed dramatically under her breath but sat without argument. I followed, sinking into the chair, feeling the cold metal against my back.
Miss Akpan gave us one last look before turning to her computer, her attention shifting away as the room fell into heavy silence.
The only sound was the ticking clock on the wall. Slow. Unforgiving.
I leaned forward, lowering my voice to a whisper. "Hey, Simi… I thought Ada and Nancy were in detention too. Why aren't they here?"
Simi barely moved, her fingers drumming against the desk in a slow, restless rhythm. "Essential A and B have separate classrooms," she murmured. "Same goes for detention."
"Oh," I said, sinking back into my chair.
Simi sighed, rolling her shoulders like she was trying to shake off the weight of boredom. "I just wish this was over already." Her fingers tapped faster against the desk, the quiet beat filling the room.
I shot her a look. "Stop drumming," I hissed. "And keep your voice down." Miss Akpan might hear you."
Simi smirked. "She won't."
"Not if you don't lower your voice," I muttered, rolling my eyes.
Then, without warning, she lifted her left hand, drawing an invisible rectangle in the air before pressing her palm down as if sealing something in place.
The room shifted. The faint hum of the computer, the distant chatter from the hallway, even the rhythmic tap of her fingers—all of it dulled. It was like being wrapped in thick, invisible cotton.
"I just blocked the sound from reaching her," Simi said, a smile playing on her lips.
I stared at her, the air between us suddenly electric.
Miss Akpan didn't react. She kept typing, oblivious.
I swallowed.
Maybe detention wasn't going to be as boring as I thought.
Then,