Alex Armstrong: Awakening Read Free Page B

“Don’t apologize. That was impressive. I couldn’t talk that fast if I tried. I’m Alex.”
    Patrick nodded and smiled. “Where you from?”
    “Florida.”
    “That would’ve been my first guess.”
    “What makes you say that?”
    “Surfer T-shirt. Tan.” Patrick shrugged. “I figured there was a better-than-average chance.”
    “And the funny thing is I rarely go to the beach,” Alex said. “I just like these shirts. Where are you from?”
    “Tampa.”
    “Cool. When’d you get in?” Alex said.
    “An hour ago. I’ve just been hanging out in here, trying to meet some people. You’re the first fellow Floridian.”
    Alex nodded and leaned close and lowered his voice. “So, what have you heard about this place?”
    Patrick smiled. “What, are you beginning to think this is more than just an elite college for geniuses? Gosh, what would make you think that ?”
    “So you do know something?”
    “Oh, I looked at some of the course offerings. I have a pretty good idea.”
    “Well?”
    “And ruin the surprise for you?” Patrick said, still smiling.
    “Come on, I’d like to know what I’m getting into here.”
    “What’d you see out there, besides the fact that we’re on a secret campus?”
    “I saw an older kid make a football change directions in midair, and I’m pretty sure I saw a guy reading a book without using his hands; it was floating.”
    “That would make sense,” Patrick said.
    “What? How?”
    “Because this is a school for telekinetics.”
    “What, like the X-Men ?”
    “If that helps, sure,” Patrick said. “Except this is real; you just saw a couple examples.” He reached into his backpack and pulled out his tablet. “Here, check this out. Here’s the course catalog. And this is the one and only class we’re taking this semester.”
    Alex read the entry:
    Intro to Pal Tech and Telekinesis
    Mornings, 9 a.m.
    Students will learn the basics of telekinesis. Lab work Tuesdays and Thursdays.
    Alex stared at the screen long after he finished reading.
    “Did I just blow your mind?” Patrick said. “Because I was freaking out when I read that. Seriously, how cool is this?”
    Alex was vaguely aware that Patrick was still talking. Normally, he’d smile and nod to at least fake that he was listening, but not right now. He was too busy picturing scenes from X-Men , Carrie , and Star Wars . He never knew any of it could be real . He wondered what it would be like to move an object without touch, just by thinking about it. He zeroed in on Patrick’s tablet.
    “Are you trying to pick this up?” Patrick said, waving his tablet in the air. “Don’t bother, man. It won’t happen.”
    “I just thought…”
    “I know. Seriously, though. No one in here has moved a thing. It isn’t gonna happen. Sorry to get your hopes up.”
    “It’s cool,” Alex said. “So who do I talk to in here?”
    “Besides me?”
    Alex laughed. “You know what I mean. Where do I get the course catalog?”
    “That lady behind the desk. Melissa is her name.”
    “Got it.”
    “I’ll leave you to it, then. I may hang around here a little longer, meet some more people, maybe meet a few of the girls. I’ve definitely seen some talent. I’ll look for you at dinner.”
    Alex made eye contact with as many students as possible as he crossed the room. They looked normal enough; no one was wearing a cape or covered in pig’s blood. He didn’t see any lightsabers, either. But there was one student who caught his eye. A brunette. Petite. She would have looked right at home on a cheerleading squad. He wondered if he’d ever have the confidence to talk to a girl like that, or if his mind would just go blank like it always did. Who was he kidding? Of course it would go blank. What he needed was a girl like that to approach him . Too bad the chances of that happening were slim to—
    “Ooof!”
    Alex walked right into the table. Black coffee spilled out of a purple mug. “Sorry!”
    The lady giggled.