Out of Sight, Out of Mind

She held up the object, and this time it spun in the opposite direction. Again, there was the odd passage of time-seconds, minutes, she couldn't tell.

Suddenly, Jenna felt like someone had just tossed a glassful of water in her face. She wasn't wet, but she was very awake.

'That wasn't so bad, was it?' Serena asked cheerfully.

'Was I really hypnotized?' Jenna asked her. 'Absolutely,' Serena assured her. 'Why do you ask?'

'Because I remember everything we did.'

Serena continued to smile. 'Of course you do. This isn't some sort of witchcraft, Jenna-it's psychological science. I'm not attempting to change you-I simply want to understand you-all of you. You kids with your special gifts, you need special attention.'

'But why did I have to-'

Serena interrupted her. 'That will be all, Jenna. Please return to the classroom and send Ken in here now. We have a few minutes left.'

Jenna stared at her. But now Serena had opened a notebook and was totally preoccupied with writing something. Clearly, she wasn't going to be answering any questions that Jenna might ask, so Jenna did as she was told.

But for the rest of the school day, she thought about the odd experience. She'd been with Serena for more than half a class period, 30 minutes. But the events that took place could have taken up only ten minutes or so. Had Serena made her do things she couldn't remember? Or had the rest of the time been occupied with staring at the spinning plate with its stupid red dot?

Jenna kept hoping to run into Emily sometime during the day so that she could compare their individual experiences with the student teacher. When school got out for the day, she hurried to the main exit and positioned herself there to wait for Emily to come out.

When she saw Amanda-Tracey emerge, she looked away, expecting that the other girl would do the same. But instead Amanda stopped and spoke.

'What did that student teacher do? Did you get hypnotized?'

'Yeah.'

'What was it like?'

Jenna shrugged. 'No big deal. She didn't make me quack like a duck or anything like that.' She paused. She really wanted to tell someone what had happened. 'Actually, it was kind of silly. All she wanted me to do was read another teacher's mind to find out if he wanted to date her.'

'You're kidding! That's all?'

Jenna nodded. 'I'll bet when she hypnotized Emily that she asked her if they have a future together.' Amanda laughed. 'And she probably told Charles to push him in her direction.'

Jenna started to laugh, too, and then she remembered whom she was talking to. She cocked her head to one side and pretended to be noticing something for the first time that day.

'You look different.'

Amanda nodded. 'Yeah, I got a haircut. And I bought some clothes and makeup.'

Jenna sniffed. 'Perfume, too. Must be nice having all that money to spend on stuff like that.'

'You think Tracey's parents ever give her money?' Amanda countered. 'They barely know she's alive.'

Now Jenna was interested. 'So what did you do- take the money while you were invisible?'

'No. I earned it. Babysitting for the clones. And these aren't exactly designer clothes. I got them at Target.'

'Oh.'

Amanda shifted her book bag to her other arm. 'I have to go.'

'Wait, I have to ask you something. No, I mean, I have to tell you something.'

'What?' Amanda asked.

'Don't ever feel sorry for me.'

'I don't,' Amanda replied.

'You did on Friday, at my place. I read it.'

'Well, you read wrong. I never feel sorry for anyone.' With that, Amanda sauntered off.

Jenna stared after her. Did Amanda mean that? She tried to read her thoughts now, but the gift didn't kick in. So maybe it was Tracey whom she'd made a connection with.

But that didn't feel right either. If Jenna were in Tracey's situation, the only person she'd feel sorry for would be herself.

Chapter Thirteen

ARRIVING AT TRACEY'S home Amanda felt like she could have been in the Meadowbrook cafeteria. Chaos reigned.

In the living room, one of the seven girls was lying on the rug, kicking and yelling. Another one was screaming. In the kitchen, one girl spilled her milk and started crying, while another snatched a cookie from her sibling's plate, and they started fighting. The mother's helper was nowhere in sight, and Tracey's mother looked to be on the verge of hysteria.

'Stop it! All of you, stop it! Go upstairs-it's time for your nap.' None of the septuplets paid any attention to her, just as Tracey's mother didn't pay any attention to the fact that 'Tracey' had just walked in.

Amanda moved into Mrs. Devon's line of vision and spoke loudly. 'What's going on?'

'Lizzie left us!' the woman wailed. 'I've called every agency in town, and there's no one available! What am I going to do?'

Amanda surveyed the pandemonium. Having spent a lot of time with the septuplets over the weekend, she had a sense of each personality She focused on the one who was the bossiest of the group, and at the top of her lungs, she screamed, 'Mandie!'

The septuplet who was taking cookies by force from the others actually looked in her direction.

'Help me,' Amanda ordered her. 'We have to get everyone upstairs. It's story time.'

Mandie turned to the sweet one, Randie. 'C'mon, we're going upstairs.'

Randie was in the process of twisting Brandies hair into sloppy braids, so those two started out together. One by one, the others followed, until there was only one crying child left in the kitchen. Amanda grabbed Tandie's hand and half walked, half dragged her out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Mrs. Devon brought up the end of the line.

Once they were all gathered in the girls' huge bedroom, Amanda asked, 'Whose turn is it to pick the story?'

'Me! Me! 'Vandie cried out. She was the whiny one. Amanda shook her head.

'Let me think… Friday night was Brandie, Saturday afternoon it was Kandie's turn, Mandie chose the story on Saturday night…'

'I picked the story yesterday,' Randie declared.

'It's my turn! It's my turn!' Vandie shrieked.

'No, I told you yesterday-we're going in alphabetical order. Sandie picks the story today. You come last.'

'That's not fair!' Vandie whined.

'Tough,' Amanda said. 'Life isn't fair. Sandie, go and choose a story.'

As Sandie raced over to the bookcase, Amanda realized that Mrs. Devon was looking at her oddly.

'Did you cut your hair?'

'Yes,' Amanda said shortly. 'I had my hair cut on Saturday with the money you paid me for Friday night.'

'Saturday? I didn't notice it.'