A World Without You

A World Without You by Beth Revis Read Free Book Online Page B

Book: A World Without You by Beth Revis Read Free Book Online
Authors: Beth Revis
usually go home on weekends, we decided to stay because Gwen wanted to throw him a party.
    Gwen, Sofía, Ryan, and I sit around the big table; Harold stands off to the side chatting with his ghosts.
    â€œHis favorite books are the Harry Potter series,” Sofía says in a hushed voice.
    â€œI can work with that,” Gwen says. “Maybe we can make up a letter from Hogwarts and slip it under his door.”
    â€œLame,” Ryan drawls.
    Gwen rolls her eyes at him. “Then what do you suggest?”
    Ryan leans back lazily. “Hey, Harold,” he calls. “Want to play Quidditch?”
    Harold’s whole face lights up.
    The vision fades from my mind, but I’m left smiling, remembering what happened next. Ryan had been right—if we had powers, why not use them? Sofía scrounged up four brooms while Gwen found some volleyballs in the beach supply closet, and Harold, Ryan, and I went to the courtyard. Ryan used his telekinesis to make us fly on the brooms—or, more accurately, float in place or slowly move backward, since he still didn’t have much control of his ability. With a little effort we got an actual Quidditch game going. Sort of. Either way, it was hilarious and fun.
    When the Doctor came out to see what we were all doing, Ryan floated his gold fountain pen from his front pocket and used it as the Snitch. I think he made sure that Harold got it; Ryan wasn’t so much of a dick back then. Ryan was still Ryan, though, so he made sure the ball we were using hit Harold as soon as he snatched the pen from the air. Harold collapsed onto the soft grass below, laughing his brains out.
    As the vision fades, the timestream comes into sharper focus. Sofía’s string is a little closer, but it’s not enough. The end is still trapped in the dark spot swirling over 1692. I workquickly and select another moment along the string, striking like a cobra as I snatch it, tugging it from the weave.
    Ryan, Harold, and I are hanging out by the marsh. Harold’s wearing shorts; this is still at the end of summer. When Ryan starts to talk, I realize that this memory is from one of the first few days at Berkshire, when everyone was still moving in, before classes had even started.
    â€œI’ve been to three of these before,” Ryan says, gathering rocks into a little pile. He starts throwing them into the marsh, aiming for the birds.
    â€œThree?” I ask.
    â€œSchools like this.” I didn’t know other schools like Berkshire even existed.
    â€œYou?” he asks.
    â€œMy first.”
    â€œMe too,” Harold says in a small voice, his eyes unfocused, as if he were speaking to someone other than us. “Berkshire. I like the name of it. Sounds like a place where hobbits would live.”
    â€œThis place does look pretty cool,” Ryan admits. “It’s nicer than the last place I was at. That joint was like a prison.”
    â€œLook.” Harold points down the path, toward the academy and the black van pulling into the circular drive.
    â€œThey’re in our class,” Ryan says. He chuckles; he’d almost hit a magpie with that last stone he threw.
    I see the shorter girl first, and right away, I can tell she’s the kind of girl who loves attention. It’s Gwen, wearing sparkly clips in her black hair—the tips of which are dyed red—and a shirt so low-cut I can see her cleavage all the way from whereI’m standing. She’s showing off her power too, sparking little fires in the palms of her hands like it’s no big deal.
    And just when I start to look away, I see Sofía.
    And then I don’t.
    I almost shove Ryan in the marsh to get him to shut up about the stupid birds for two seconds as I lean forward, trying to find her again. She’d been visible for just a second, but that second was enough—she’s burned into my mind. Gwen’s the type of girl who demands to be noticed, but

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