Saint of Sinners by Devin Harnois Read Free Book Online Page B

wasn’t going to be awkward since we’d need to hold a conversation all the way there.
    I’d need to avoid talking about my past so I wouldn’t have to come up with lies and half-truths, too. I hoped she liked movies, TV, and video games because otherwise I wouldn’t have much to talk about.
    She picked me up half an hour after I teleported home from flying practice. I’d had a long phone conversation with Stefan earlier in the week, and he pointed out she was probably more nervous than I was, even a little intimidated. So taking his advice to put her at ease, I wore my geekiest T-shirt—a Firefly reference. Two dinosaurs and the phrase “Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!” It had the bonus of being safe for a location full of little kids, unlike some of the shirts I’d bought.
    On the way down to the car, I worried she might not get it and pictured how stupid I’d look explaining it to her. Oh well, too late now. I didn’t want to keep her waiting.
    I hurried outside and Hayley waved to me from the car. I had a big dopey grin on my face as I opened the passenger door and got in. “Hi.”
    “Hi,” she said and squinted at my shirt, reading it.
    My heart pounded.
    She laughed. “That’s from that show, right?”
    “ Firefly . Do you like it?”
    “I thought it was pretty good. Casey likes it.” She pulled away from the curb.
    I asked her what shows she liked, and we talked about shows and movies all the way there. We liked some of the same things, and it was a relief for me to know we had some things in common.
    We got to the zoo and it was crowded. Lots of families with kids and I started thinking maybe this wasn’t the best idea. But it got better as we moved away from the front gate.
    We went through the reptile house, Hayley pointing out neat animals and leaning close to read the information plaques. I heard the low whispering of the snakes and resisted the urge to talk to them. Unlike with Mew-Mew, I couldn’t talk to them psychically. I did use my power to coax a few out of hiding so she could see them. The king cobra was particularly impressive, rising up a little to flare his hood. I whispered a thanks to him as we left.
    We wound our way along the trails past zebras, elephants, deer, hawks, all sorts of animals. There was a little food place near the aquarium entrance and we stopped to have lunch.
    “I’m glad we came here,” she said. “It sorta makes me feel like a kid again.”
    “I’m glad we came, too.” Even if it was weird having all the animals look at me and not be able to talk to them. I’d only ever had to play normal for strangers, and the other time I’d gone to the zoo, I just waited until people walked away. I couldn’t ditch Hayley to have a chat with a leopard.
    “Did your parents take you to the zoo?” She made a face. “Sorry, I forgot.”
    “It’s okay. My past sucks, but it’s the past. I’m happy to be where I am now, and I want to make new memories. Good memories.” I smiled and took another bite of my hot dog.
    We went to the aquarium, which was mostly quiet to me. Fish aren’t on the “evil animals” list. Neither are dolphins, but they wouldn’t stop trying to talk to me. I did my best to ignore their chattering and just admire them like a normal person. I guess dolphins are just too damn smart and whatever lets me understand some animals was enough to bridge the small gap in communication between dolphins and humans.
    At least the dolphins’ attempts to get my attention made a good show for Hayley and for the other people gathered at the underwater observation area. Eventually she was ready to move on, and I breathed a little sigh of relief. I’d have to come back alone some time and talk to them.
    Then we went to the primate exhibit. That was a mistake. I forgot what happened at the other zoo until I heard the chimpanzees going nuts. With a few individual exceptions, all animals liked me, except for chimps. They fucking hated me. The