• 1. First day

    I have always dreamed that one day I, Vanille Mills, would follow in my mother's footsteps with the talent of healing like my brother Juan. Or in my father's, of finding emotion and changing them , like my brother David. No no of course not, I was born as a brat child. When I was three years old I found out this. A brat child is a child without a talent. I was home schooled, because my mother and I were scared. Scared that people would laugh at me, all because I did not have a talent.
    Today, I have to go to my first day of school, age thirteen, right dab center of the school year. As I put on the clothes my mother had laid out for me I couldn't stop myself from thinking what they might say to me. Talent less. Or powerless other kids called it. Those
    two words echoed and pounded at my brain. I knew I would have a headache about the time I would get off the bus. Then it occurred to me I would not make any friends. Panic rushed through out me.
    “Vanille sweety, you are going to be late for school. The voice sounded muffed, she already had her scruff on and everything else.
    “Vanille you also need to grab a big jacket, it's snowing outside.”
    “ Ok mom be there in a minute- um mom where did this come from, this is not mine. I stood there holding up a giant bra.
    “ Oh that's mine honey. I could tell she was embarrassed by the sound of her voice.
    “ Put that in my room for me please?” I rushed to my mother's room and put it on her side of the bed, then grabbed my backpack and ran out the door.

    The school bus was crowed, and because I had never set foot out of the house before, no one knew me. I was glad for that. As soon as I got to school kids were surrounding me and asking questions. I answered five before the bell rung that meant we were supposed to go to breakfast.

    “Hi.” A boy said to me. That startled me. No one has ever said 'hi' to me so I did not know how to react.
    “Um hi?”
    “This is your first time at a real school isn’t it?” How did he know?

    “Yeah, how-”
    “I know everything that happens here.”
    “Cool. Hey do you know where I can get a map of this place?”
    “Oh, yeah.”He took something out of his shirt pocket. “ Here.”
    “Thanks.”
    “Vanille Mills right?”
    “ Right.
    “Can I get a picture of you for the paper?”
    “No definitely not.”
    “Ok. Oh and your secrets safe with me.” I groaned as he got up to leave. What secret was he talking about? Was it the fact that I had no powers? Maybe because it was the first time I have been at a real school. If that was true then it's a good thing that he did not know I did not have powers. A girl came up to me running. She was pale like she just had seen a ghost.
    “You don't have a power?”She whispered.
    “I have a power.” I shuddered.
    “Don't waste your breath, I read your mind.” Oh great, I didn't know mind readers were in this school. “There is a whole club of mind readers on that table over there.” She grinned and pointed to a small table of people, all pale and looking straight at me. This freaked me out. “It's okay they are trying to read your mind.”
    “They look like they are not succeeding.”
    “True, I am the strongest of the group and it is difficult to read you.” Wow if I am that hard to read that must be my power.
    “Wrong again the emotion sensors can't get in your head either.”
    “Ok, how hard is it for you to read my mind?”
    “ Oh, I was not expecting that. Um... pretty hard. Think of something and think hard.” I was beginning to think of that boy who asked me for my picture. “ My name? Well I am Janet.”
    “Cool but that was not what I was thinking about.”
    “What was it?”
    ”It was about that boy who asked me for my picture. What was his name. . .”
    “His name is Robin Jaws, and he has a crush on you.”
    “What does he mean by your secrets safe with me?”
    “He knows that you don't have a power.”
    ”How did he know?”
    “He is the invisible guy. He sneaks into the office. Hey do you want to sit with us?” The bell rang again.
    “Um sorry I have to get to gym.”
    “Oh, ok.” Janet ran off. I pulled out my map and started to look for my locker. The only open locker was near the bullies. Great. I needed to get a locker so I kept reassuring myself that they won't harm me. After climbing two fights of stairs, I could see my lock was in the clear.
    “Not so fast little girl.” I heard the voice from a distance “We would like to introduce ourselves, this is Brad. This is Jeff and I am Kraig.”
    “Hi Kraig, hi Brad, hi Jeff.”
    “Since you are new we won't beat you up today.” I knew where this was leading so I thought of doing the opposite.
    “Oh you don't have to do that,” I took out half of my lunch money. Not like I needed it.”Here.” I held out the money for them to grab. They all had a stunned look on there faces.
    “Um thanks but no thanks.” said Kraig. As they started to walk away I heard one of them whisper that he likes me. Bah, they were too hairy for me. I mean that you could see that if anyone of them grew another hair there shirts would bust. Well at least I know they were not going to bother me anymore.

    Gym was very boring all we did was climb these old looking ropes. I was sure that one of them would fall by the end of the month. The ropes burned my hands like crazy. I wished so much that our coach would go easy on me because I did not have a power, but no he pushed me harder then the rest.
    Most of the kids in the school knew I did not have a power by lunch. How I wish they would just call me names and get over it. Treat me like a outsider. That would make me feel better, rather then being treated like a normal person. Is that to much to ask? As I looked at my lunch box I noticed my hair was the same color brown as it. Dark and musty. Why did they have to put me at the four-o'clock lunch? I am not hungry at the four-o'clock.
    “Hey.” Janet said in a happy little voice.
    “Hi.” I sighed back.
    “How come your not eating?”
    “Because I am not hungry is that a problem?”
    “No. Did you know that I did not notice your eyes were a real color? They are like a soft blue.”
    “No I did not.”
    “Everyone's here is ether brown or black.”
    “Interesting.”
    “So, do you have a crush on any of the boys yet?
    “No, but some boys have a crush on me.
    “OO, who are they?
    “One of the bullies,
    “Ugh. she said fast.
    “and that Robin guy.
    “Well wait until the rest of the school sees you Hey um what time is it?
    “4:01
    “Yes We get out of school in five minutes.
    “Really?
    “Yes really.
    “Cool um, can you show me where the pink bus is?
    “Sure We walked silently thought the halls trying to get to our lockers that had jams by both of them. Once I got to my locker she had come to my jam again. Once she got to me I was all ready done.
    “You done?
    “Yeah. Again we walked in silents. It was annoying. I thought I should break the silents, but she did it first.
    “You need a ride?
    “No. I take the bus, remember?
    “You take the bus. It was a statement not a qustion. Odd.

    Once she left me it was silent again, so i started singing. I just hummed my favorite song at first then I started singing it really. I stared getting the feeling someone was following me to the pink bus so I decided to take the town bus. Sure it was a longer walk to my house but the pink bus startled me, plus that guy seemed to be going to the pink bus. Who was he, anyway? I was afraid to look back, but I knew I had to. So I took a big breath and looked, Robin, there was no surpise.
    “Hey Vanille, chilly weather am I right?
    “Your right.
    “Hey do you take the town bus too?
    “Not really I just wanted to walk some more,
    “Oh. He sounded disapointed
    “But the pink bus scares me.
    “Really? Me too. So have you made any friends yet?
    “Um yeah Janet, and that's all.
    “Janet is, ok.

    “What's wrong with her? I knew he ether likes her or he does not.
    “Well isn't annoying when she reads your mind all the time?
    “You mean when she pretends to read my mind most of the time? She can only sometimes get it right.
    “Oh, really? He started to sound excited, problay because he was learning new stuff about me.
    “Yeah, hey what power do you have?
    “Invisable.
    “Cool. I was trying to sound like I haven't heard it before. Can you do it right here?
    “Sure. In a instance he was gone. Then I felt warm hands on my shoulders. I am a pretty fast runner to. I could here him but I could not see him.
    “Ok, I think I have ‘seen’ enough. No pun intended
    “It's to bad, He started to come out of hiding.
    “To bad for what?
    “To bad that you don't have a power.
    “True, but people treat me like I do.
    “That's true too.
    “I am going to the gas station, I started to walk towards it.
    “Why?
    “Because I am hugery.
    “Yeah by the size of that lunch bag you are carrying it looks like you got the four-o'clock lunch. Am I correct.
    “ Also my mac and cheese was cold.
    ”Well maybe now you know not to bring mac and cheese to school.
    ” Yes teacher. He lauged at that. He started to follow me to the gas station. Do you even have any money? I asked.
    “No but I am bored so I will follow you around. Ok now this is getting awkward and funny at the same time.
    “Ok. I sighed. Once we got there he followed me in and, watched me get a hotdog. By the time I was done paying he was in the bathroom so I waited. Once he got out, he looked surpised.
    “You waited.
    ”Yeah.
    “Usally girls don't wait, they just go.
    So?
    So, your diffent.
    Again, so?
    Never mind. he sighed, and ran off.
    When I made it home everything was a landside. The boys and me were the only ones home so they were in charge. They made me clean the house while they went to work. Juan and David were twins both six teen. Once I was done, I was surpised to find the TV on. I had thought they had turned of the TV when they left. Then I knew what was going on, so I was going to play aong.
    I thought they turned off the TV when they left. All well I will just watch it.
    You are a horrable actor, laughed Robin.
    You are to.
    Agreed, we are both horible actors.
    Agreed, I laughed. He turned uninvisable. I realized I was sitting in his lap.
    You know Vanille, Changeing the subject. I think you do have a power deep down inside.
    Now you are just being silly.
    No I mean it, what if you do?
    What do you think it would be?
    Don't know just, what if? I looked at the clock.
    Shoot My brothers will be home in ten minutes.
    Ok, so tell me what there powers are.
    Why?
    So I can be ready.
    Oh ok well , David has the power of sensing emotion, and Juan has the power of healing.
    What are your mom's and dad's ?
    Same, Dad's sensing emotion, Mom's healing.
    Ooo hand-me-downs.
    They don't get much practice on me, my Dad and David so you are like fresh meat.
    Shoot.
    I know. Right then my borthers walked in the door with my dad. Hey David, Juan, Dad.
    Hey Vanille who is this, said Juan.
    Fresh meat that's who it is. said David
    No David not until we know him a little more. said my Dad
    This is Robin Jaws.
    Hello. sighed Robin
    We will be out back, sighed my Dad Call us if you need us.
    Ok Dad.
    So those were the boys, where is the girl?
    Coming, my mom will be home in 20 minutes.
    So, can I have a tour or do I have to sneak up those stairs?
    You can have a tour but no stealing my stuff, ok? I thought I heard a giggle come out of those lovely pink lips. What am I saying, or what am I thinking. Ugh.
    Ok I am guessing this is your room because, it's the only one clean.
    Ding ding ding you have just won a tour of my room.
    Yes Nice, king size.
    I know isn't it cool? They spoil me becase I was there first girl.
    You are their only girl.
    Exacty.
    Hey what time is it?
    Seven-ten why?
    Shoot I have to go.
    Ok, He started to climb out the window. Why are you going out the window?
    For fun.
    Ok, Bye?? While he was going down the vines, I heard him say something, but I could not make it out. So I leaned out the window some more, and the next thing I knew I was falling. Right when I thought I was going to hit the ground the wind stoped.
    We might want to be a little more careful next time. Don't we?
    Robin, you saved me. I looked in those butterscotch eyes of worry.
    Yes, yes I did. Robin took me inside, to find my mom unloading groceries.
    Hey Vanille who is this? My mom had a happy look on her face.
    Robin Jaws.
    Well nice to meet you Robin.
    Nice to meet you to Mrs. Mills.
    What were you two doing outside?
    Um... Jogging in the park?
    So I'm guessing he's a runner?
    No, invisible.
    Nice, hey Vanille I am making pot roast for dinner to night would Robin like to stay and have some?
    Would you?
    Sounds tempting put I have to go help my dad with dinner myself.
    K bye Robin.
    Bye Vanille, and the door shut.
    He seems nice dosen't he?
    Yeah, real nice.
    Where's your dad?
    Outback, why
    Will you go get him I can't open this bottle of apple cider.
    Sure, what's the occasion?
    Your first day of school silly.

    After every one was in bed I put my clothes on and climbed out the window but this time I did not fall. I made sure of that. Once I was all the way down I went back inside though the front door to get something to eat. I would have taken the stairs but they were made of wood, and would have made a lot of noise. I started to search the kitchen for food. All that did not need to be cooked was, an ice-cream bar. In the middle of December, great. I grabbed it, put on my roller skates and headed out the door towards the park. The park was peaceful, and almost the same as I remembered it, but something was out of place. I couldn't tell what it was, so I just sat on the bench. I unwrapped my ice-cream had one bite then though it away. That's when I noticed the seat I was sitting on was warm, then I noticed I was floating above the seat.
    Robin?
    Vanille it seems like you- He yawned. have a nak for sitting on my lap. I giggled. Why did you throw that ice-cream away?
    Um because I did not want to freeze my tongue off.
    Good point.
    What are you doing here anyways?
    I always go for a ride in the park when I'm bored.
    Oh.
    What are you doing here?
    Almost same as you, I was bored.
    Oh.
    Only I used a skateboard. Hey I was wondering...
    What?
    I was wondering if you wanted to race?
    Sure, to the green field.
    Ready... Vanille are you ready?
    Yes.
    Set. Go. He yelled and we were of. Robin was in the lead. Suddnly I, triped over a rock and I went flying. I grabbed Robin's should and he went tubbing with me into the grass. We laughed as we layed there.
    What was that about?
    I guess I tripped over a rock.
    That must have been a big rock.
    Why do you say that?
    Maybe because you are so bleeding badly.
    Oh my , I am?
    Don't worry I have a first-aid-kit.
    Ok, but hurry it's almost sunrise.
    It is? He looked behind him, It already is sunrise. As we both looked in to the sunrise I knew something was now diffrent.