Sarah had promised her mother she wouldn’t do that “weird” stuff. Essentially a good teenager, she tried not to. But, she sometimes cheated and read her teachers’ minds to get the answer right. Not all of the time, of course. She didn’t want to seem too smart.

She’d occasionally read a classmate’s mind, to find out whether they were laughing at her or with her (when she wasn’t laughing). She discovered not many people were too welcoming.

Then there was Simon, who sat next to her in English class. She would steal sideways looks at him, trying not to linger over his black velvet skin and mini-fro.

One afternoon, he walked into the library after school. She knew he saw her. Looking at her paper, she walked her ESP over to enter his mind.

Sarah. Gorram! What the frak should I say to her? I’m such a smeg!

Although half of the words weren’t English, she understood the idea. Satisfied, she decided to retreat from his mind when she heard another of his thoughts.

What the frak? Who’s in here?