Better Late Than Never

'Good,' Jenna said, relieved.

Tracey frowned. 'That's not the response I was expecting, Jenna.'

'Huh?'

'Say it,'Tracey ordered her.

Jenna stared at her blankly.

'Remember the magic words? Please and …'

Jenna rolled her eyes. 'Okay, okay. Thank you.'

Tracey nodded with approval. 'See? You can show appreciation.' Then she smiled. 'Look, Jenna, I know you're grateful. You just hate to admit it because you're afraid you'll seem like Little Orphan Annie or something.'

She was right, and Jenna knew it. She had a lot of pride, and she couldn't bear the idea of anyone feeling sorry for her. And saying 'thank you' seemed to be like admitting that she was needy.

This was how Tracey had really changed. All the old hurts had created in her an ability to understand other people, to know what was really going on with them. She couldn't read minds, like Jenna, but it was as if she could read feelings. It wasn't exactly what Madame would call a gift, but Jenna had to admit that it was pretty interesting, and a little scary, too. Tracey was getting to know her--in spite of herself---in a way that Jenna had never allowed anyone to know her before.

Tracey tore open the bag of chips. 'What do you think of my room?'

Jenna looked around. She had a vague memory of Tracey's bedroom being kind of childish and bland. Now it was decorated in bright primary colors--red curtains, red and blue plaid bedspreads, a gleaming white desk.

'Nice,' she said.

'Thanks. I told my parents I wanted a completely new room, and I made them let me pick out everything myself.'

'Wow!' Jenna said with admiration. 'You've really got them wrapped around your little finger.'

'Yeah, well, after all those years of neglect, they owed me,' Tracey replied. 'Hey, have you done the assignment for Monday yet?'

Her mouth stuffed with guacamole, Jenna could manage only to wrinkle her nose. That wasn't a response to the food--the guacamole was delicious--but to the reference to their homework. Madame had ordered her students to prepare a brief oral report describing when they had first become aware of their gifts.

She swallowed. 'No. What about you?'

Tracey nodded. 'It was easy for me. The Devon Seven were born and I was reduced to a nonentity.'

'A what?'

'Something that doesn't exist.'

That was another aspect of Tracey that was different. Once she'd started speaking up, she'd revealed something about herself that no one had ever expected--she was smart.

'It's not so simple for me,' Jenna said. 'I can't remember when I started reading minds. It seems as if I've always known what people are thinking.'

'That reminds me--I've got a favor to ask.' Tracey eyed her eagerly. 'While you're staying here, could you please not read my mind?'

Jenna grinned. 'Why? You got some big secret you're hiding from me?'

'No, it's just a question of privacy.'

That was what Madame was always telling Jenna--that reading people's minds was like eavesdropping on private conversations or reading someone's diary.

'So do you promise you won't read my mind?'

'I don't know if I can promise,' Jenna said. 'Sometimes I can't help it. It just sort of happens. You can't control your gift, can you?'

Tracey sighed. 'No. Ever since I got my body back from Amanda, it's harder and harder to disappear. I've been practicing, though, and I'm starting to be able to fade a little. Have you been practicing?'

'I don't need to practice. Like I said, it comes naturally.'

'I mean, practice not mind reading. That's what Madame means about controlling our gifts-- knowing when to use them and when not to.'

Jenna shrugged. 'Whatever. You could try to block me. I think that's what Madame does so that I can't read her thoughts. Or . . .Wait a minute--I've got a better idea. I can't read my own mother's mind, so maybe if I think of you as a sister, I won't be able to read yours either.'

'Could you do that?' Tracey asked. 'Think of me as a sister?'

Jenna shifted uncomfortably. 'I don't know,' she replied honestly. Not being a very family-oriented person, it was hard for her to imagine the kind of feelings that sisters might have for each other. On the other hand, if she had to have a sister, she supposed Tracey would be okay.

'Yeah, all right,' she relented. 'I'll be your sister.'

The door to Tracey's bedroom burst open and seven little Devons ran in. 'Can we play now?' 'Will you read to us?' 'Can I have some chips?'

They were all over the place. Tracey offered Jenna a halfhearted smile. 'Not that I need another one.'

Chapter 2

AMANDA BEESON STRUCK a pose in front of the dressing-room mirror. 'What do you think?' Personally, she didn't really care whether or not Sophie or Britney or Nina approved of the dress she was trying on-- she thought she looked hot. But you were supposed to ask your friends for their opinions, so she did.

'So cute!' Sophie exclaimed, and Britney nodded vigorously in agreement. But Nina wasn't quite so enthusiastic.

'I don't know . . . The dress is okay, but isn't it a little too tight around your hips?'

'That's how it's supposed to be,' Amanda informed her. 'Figure hugging.' She punctuated this with a narrow-eyed glare.

In the olden days--like, a month ago--a look like that would have reduced Nina to a quivering mass of apology. But lately, Nina hadn't been quite so easy to push around. It was almost as if she was challenging Amanda's authority as Queen Bee of the eighth grade at Meadowbrook Middle School. And this wasn't the first time.

Amanda noticed that Sophie and Britney were exchanging wary looks. She knew she needed to assert herself immediately and remind them who was in charge here. She performed a little twirl in front of the mirror and nodded in satisfaction.

'It's fabulous. It's perfect for me--I'm going to buy it,' she stated firmly.

As she was making the purchase, she glanced over to where the girls were waiting for her by the door of the boutique. She couldn't hear what Nina was saying to the others, but Sophie's uneasy expression and Britney's quick glances in her direction worried her. As she handed over her mother's credit card, for the zillionth time she made a silent vow that the recent change in her life would not disrupt her social standing.

Leaving the boutique, the girls made their way through the mall and down an escalator to the food court, where eight different kinds of fast-food counters offered lunch.

'Let's get pizza,' Nina declared.

Sophie and Britney looked at Amanda. Amanda took her time, letting her gaze move from the Chinese noodle place to the Burger King and beyond. 'I'm going to the salad bar,' she announced.

There was no reason why they couldn't each have whatever kind of food they wanted, since all the customers had to take their food away from the counters to the tables set up in the middle of the court. But it was traditional for the group to buy their lunch together as well as eat it together, and Amanda was gratified to see