Covet (Clann)

have to take it, you will be beyond the point of caring about taste.”
    Yummy. “Thanks.” I put it in my new Coach purse, feeling like the vampire version of James Bond.
    “And I will have my cell phone with me at all times, of course,” he added.
    I couldn’t help but smile now. “It’s okay, Dad. Remember, I’ve done this whole starting school thing a few times. Same old school, same old people, same old town.”
    “But you are not the same.”
    Right. Good point. “I’ll see you tonight, probably around five or so after Charmers practice.” I tried to act cool and calm and completely confident as I waved goodbye.
    Five minutes later, I parked in the front school lot in my same old spot. Then I got out and felt the breeze around my legs below the dress.
    Okay, maybe this wasn’t quite like all my other first days of school.
    At least getting ready for the Charmers morning practice, which started early and continued through first period every day, was the same old routine. What wasn’t part of the usual routine was the fact that I could now hear the director’s thoughts before she said them, which was hard to hide. I had to watch her lips and wait until I saw their movement match the words in her head before I took notes on the clipboard.
    The rest of first period was spent working the music and sending the sophomore managers off for bags of ice for two dancers who had knee trouble. By the time I carried the sound system back to Mrs. Daniels’s office, the sameness of the general routine had almost lulled me into forgetting about all the other changes in my life. And because I’d chosen the black ballet flats instead of the heels as Dad’s notes had suggested for this outfit, walking wasn’t a problem.
    At this point, my life was so cloudy I would take any silver lining I could get.
    But when I went into the main hall for my second period class, it all came slamming back into me as the sound of everyone’s thoughts filled my head with a low roar. By the time I nearly ran into the Brat Twins, I was tense and in real need of escaping the crowd.
    Then I realized Vanessa and her sister Hope were carrying the exact same purse as me. The only difference was the color. Vanessa’s was powder-blue, Hope’s was hot-pink, and mine was black to match the black-and-white wraparound dress Dad’s notes had suggested for today.
    “Is that…” Hope began, staring at my purse. I had to read her lips in order to understand the words. Otherwise I never would have been able to hear her over everyone’s thoughts.
    “It’s a knockoff.” Vanessa reached out and twisted my purse on my forearm until she could see the metal label. As soon as she saw it, she froze. “Where did you get this?” She acted like I’d stolen it straight out of her closet.
    “At the Galleria,” I answered with a smile while trying not to laugh. Maybe the new wardrobe came with a few perks after all.
    Vanessa eyed my dress, my necklace, my shoes. I managed to catch her fleeting thoughts as she considered grabbing my wrist to better inspect my bracelet then decided she didn’t want to have skin contact.
    “Is that a—” Hope gasped and did reach for the bracelet.
    Vanessa slapped her hand down. “Shut up, Hope. Come on, we’ll be late for class.” She yanked the purse off my forearm and tried to drop it on the ground.
    I caught it before it fell more than a few inches. The move hadn’t felt any different than anything else I’d ever done, but both twins shrieked and took off at a fast trot, looking back over their shoulders at me every few seconds.
    Crap. Had I done a vamp blur thing?
    I needed way more tai chi practice if I was ever going to blend in this year.
    I slowly slid the purse onto my shoulder. Then I repositioned it on my forearm in the crook of my elbow. Well, crud. How was one supposed to carry a designer purse? Dad’s notes hadn’t included any tips about that, and I’d never carried even a normal purse, much less one that was nice enough to tick off the Brat Twins.
    Giving up for now, I continued toward my second period class, trying to ignore that too familiar ache forming in my chest and stomach warning me that Tristan was nearby. He was tall enough to be visible even in a crowd. Since I couldn’t see his head of golden hair standing out above everyone else’s in the hall, he was probably already in his second period classroom somewhere in this building. Good. I really didn’t want to have to run into