Veneer by Daniel Verastiqui Read Free Book Online

doors unlocked,” said Mr. Lee.
    “What if I turned my life around and became a model student?” This made emo girl laugh, to which Russo replied, “Nobody’s talking to you.”
    Mr. Lee sat up straight and folded his hands on the desk. “No, Mr. Chapman, they do not teach advanced magic in college.”
    “Why not?” asked Jalay and Russo in unison.
    “Ms. West?” Mr. Lee raised an eyebrow at emo girl.
    She turned halfway around and spoke while staring out the window. “Because there’s no such thing as magic.” Then, gravely, “There’s nothing magical about what we are.”
    “What about veneers? I can paint a picture on a wall just by thinking about it.”
    “Yes,” said Mr. Lee, “but you don’t say any spells, do you? You don’t wave a wand. You just do it. It’s not magic; it’s just a part of what you are.”
    “The real magic is that we can even think,” said the girl, still engaged in her daydream. “That we can speak and listen and smell and touch. And nobody knows how we do it, even after thousands of years. No one understands that magic.”
    Jalay frowned and looked at Russo. “I’m confused. Is there magic or not?”
    “I think,” said Russo, pointing an accusatory finger at Mr. Lee, “that all teachers are part of some conspiracy to keep us from realizing the true extent of our powers. Think about it. Those skyscrapers they put up. Every Christmas they change color, change design. Is someone actually climbing out there and reconciling each panel? And if not, who could do such a large area? No!” He crossed his arms in protest. “There has to be more to it.”
    Mr. Lee chuckled and returned to his palette.
    “There’s only one problem though,” said Russo after a few minutes of silence. “I still remember him. If Seers were such a big secret, why would they let me leave with that information?”
    “Because no one’s gonna believe someone like you,” said Ms. West.
    Before Russo could respond, a bell rang out in the hallway.
    “You going to next period?” asked Jalay, standing up.
    “Dunno. Doesn’t seem worth it anymore.”
    “What does? Come on, maybe one of the shops is still up. I hid a few in good places.”
    Russo smirked. “What’d you end up posting?”
    “Just your standard PB and V.”
    Jalay’s response didn’t make any sense, but Russo was too preoccupied with the stoic Eric to care. In the hallway, he made his way through the crowd, looking at all the veneers, all the façades that never faded but rather intensified as time went on. Everyone at Easton Central was beautiful, attractive in their own conformist way. But beneath those veneers, they were normal, as normal as Russo had looked when Eric reconciled his real face onto the EPD tablet. It was a neat trick, but it was also power.
    A power that Russo wanted more than anything.
    Blinking away the possibilities, Russo settled into his normal gait, pushing aside the sophomores when necessary and sneering at the girls who rolled their eyes at his approach. They would learn soon enough. As soon as he became a Seer, he would show the world what they really looked like under all that pretty wrapping.
    6 - Rosalia
     
    She waited in the hallway while Deron turned in his test. Although her Pre-Cal class was on the other end of the building, Rosalia wanted to make sure he had been able to answer the questions. It was standard interpretation stuff with no right or wrong answers. And Deron was nothing if not a competent bullshitter.
    He was one of the last students to exit the classroom and the smile on his face almost resembled relief.
    “How did it go?” she asked, falling into step with him.
    Deron laughed maniacally, whether at the question or the answer, she couldn’t tell. After the fit passed, he said, “Let’s pretend that didn’t happen.”
    “The crazy laughing or the test?”
    “Both,” he replied, putting his hand on Rosalia’s back.
    She felt that familiar electricity on her skin at the