Farsighted (Farsighted Series) by Emlyn Chand Read Free Book Online

laugh.
    “It’s in Louisiana, home of Mardi Gras , and the Saints. Most haunted city in the U.S. Not to mention, we were hit by a massive hurricane a few years ago. The coverage was all over the news.”
    I sit still without giving any indication of recollection.
    “Wow, you’re really making me worry about the quality of my new school,” she says, walking toward me—I can’t tell whether she’s being sarcastic or not. “Pick a card,” she commands, bringing the deck close to my face.
    I hesitate before reaching forward and locating the deck and then grab a card from the middle of the bunch fanned out in front of me.
    “Ah, the Chariot,” she remarks.
    “What does it mean?”
    “Um, there’ll be a struggle. Let me see if I can remember this correctly… You’ll take a trip, and, and…be ripped apart by opposite forces.” Shapri seems proud of herself for having been able to provide the information.
    “So it’s not a very good card?” I ask with a sarcastic laugh.
    The back door swings open and a presence enters.
    “No card is good or bad. All tell a story.” It’s Miss Teak. I recognize her voice from the other day. She drifts over to me and kneels down, cupping her hand over mine and the card it still holds. “The card is correct. You will face a struggle, both inner and outer. Don’t be overcome by the challenge. Stay strong and you will prosper.” She pulls her hand away, removing the card, too. She takes the remainder of the deck from Shapri and places it into the trunk.
    With her back toward me, she continues speaking. “I believe you.”
    “Believe me?” I’m beginning to get freaked out again. Shapri’s a little touchy, but things were going fine until Miss Teak entered.
    “I know the fight started because you heard the other boy saying cruel things to you.”
    “How do you—” I begin, but she cuts me off.
    “Be wary, things are not always as they seem. Sometimes our vision plays tricks on us.”
    “What do you mean ‘our vision plays tricks on us’? My vision’s always the same, everything’s black. I can’t see anything.”
    “Yes, Alex, yes, you can. You see in a way that is different from others, but still you see.”
    ***
    It’s Monday. At last, I’m allowed to return to school after my three-and-a-half day suspension. Dad’s driving me today, since he had to be up early for an interview anyway. He’s been on at least twenty interviews over the last few months, but still no job. I’m beginning to suspect he wants it that way. Somebody should’ve hired him by now—he’s been looking long enough. I wonder why he doesn’t just suck it up and take a position at a fast food place. Mom has to work so hard to support the family, while Dad drifts back and forth between interviews, wasting money on gas and carrying that stupid locked briefcase while accomplishing nothing. Not fair.
    Nothing more than a few words have passed between us since my fight with Brady. I really hate Dad lately. As he drives the car in silence, rigidly shifting between gears, I reposition my body to face the window—as far from him as possible—and think. I think about facing Brady at school today. I think about Simmi, which is easy. She’s such a straightforward person. And beautiful. The sound of her voice, the smells of her hair and skin, that’s what beautiful is to me.
    I think about Shapri and Miss Teak and the weird stuff that’s been happening these past few days, which is a bit more of a challenge. I’m still not sure whether I like Shapri. She seems to be all over the place, moving around too much, going from happy to mad and then back again. I know how I feel about Miss Teak though—completely and utterly intimidated. From her telling me not to run away from my gifts and about the hard journey I’ll face, to how I see but not like others, it’s all too much.
    “You’ve been going to that psychic’s shop,” Dad says out of nowhere. How would he know?
    “No,” I lie.
    “I