Written in the Stars Read online

  “Yeah, right.” I give a half laugh, and put my tray down beside her. Quickly picking up my fork to hide my annoyance, I start to eat.

  “Why didn’t you tell us?” Liv’s voice interrupts my thoughts. “Or is it another of your jokes?”

  I can hardly blame her for thinking that. Tara and I often play practical jokes on people. Like the weekend we took out all the furniture in Casey’s dorm room, and hid it in mine. I still have the pic of her expression on my tablet.

  “No. This isn’t a joke,” I reply.

  “In that case, please will you do me first?” Her voice is suddenly like a hundred decibels.

  “Sssh,” I say. “No one’s meant to know. There’s nothing to tell.”

  “Sorry. Tara said not to say anything, and I won’t. Promise. Not even to Becky.” Becky’s her closest friend. No way do they ever keep anything from each other.

  “You can tell Becky. But no one else. Okay?”

  “Sure. When are you starting? This is so cool. You know I read my horoscope every day, and now you’re here…It’s like…”

  “Whoa, Liv. Nothing’s agreed. Tara and I are still in the planning stage.”

  Liv frowns. “But... But... Tara said...”

  “We’re not ready yet, are we Tara?” I toss a glance in her direction.

  “We are nearly,” Tara replies. “Just a little more to sort out.”

  I rest my fork on the plate. “I’m going to the store. I need something decent to eat.”

  “Wait for me.” Tara leaps up, causing her chair to scrape along the floor. “A chocolate fix is needed, if I’m to survive double accounting, followed by yawn-worthy math.”

  We walk in silence to where we leave our trays and plates, and then head out the door. The chill wind whistles around my ears, and I wrap my arms around my middle for warmth.

  “I’m so sorry,” Tara starts. “I didn’t intend to tell Liv. She saw my notes, when we were sitting at the table, and started to question me about it. But if Liv and Robyn’s interest is an indication of demand among the girls here, we’re going to be a huge success.” Her eyes light up as a smile spreads from ear to ear.

  “I’m not sure asking two people is enough for us to predict success.” I roll my eyes.

  “Are you angry?”

  “No. I just feel like we’re moving too fast on this. We only came up with the idea last night. I’m still not sure about announcing to the school that I’m some kind of psychic.”

  Is it ever going to be the right time? Maybe I should just do it and stop being such a wuss.

  “I understand, but the sooner we start, the sooner you’ll be making money.”

  Tara has a point. Still...

  “It’s easy for you to say. It’s not your cred that’s on the line. You do know, if I don’t deliver, I’ll be a total laughing stock.”

  What will Dan think of me then—assuming he can get past the whole psychic thing?

  “Give it a chance,” Tara urges. “We’ll try it on our friends, and if it doesn’t work out, we’ll pretend that we were kidding, and give them their money back.”

  That makes sense. Nothing to lose by doing it that way. How can I refuse seeing as the money is for Tara’s mom. Especially after she was so good about giving me time to come up with the deductible.

  “Okay. Let’s aim to start in a couple of days.”

  She turns and looks at me, her eyes bright with excitement. “Cool.”

  As our eyes lock, a thought comes rushing to the front of my head. I feel such an idiot not to have thought of it before. “Tonight I’ll do a reading on you to see if we can really pull this off.”

  Chapter Three

  “LIV AT SIX, BECKY AT SIX-TWENTY, ROBYN AT SIX-FORTY, JEN—”

  “Tara,” I interrupt.

  She looks up from her clipboard, the pencil between her thumb and finger dangling in mid-air.

  “What?” She widens her eyes, and looks all innocent. Except this time she’s got no chance of it working.

  “You know what.” I shake my head. “We agreed on two. Three, max.”

  “But.”

  “No buts. We agreed that, as we’ve no idea how it’s going to turn out, we won’t do many the first time.”

  I’m feeling totally sick at the moment, and the four walls of the small music practice room we’re using, seem like they’re closing in on me. My reading with Tara was a disaster. Mainly because, as hard as I tried, nothing would come through. It didn’t help that Tara couldn’t take it seriously. We’re too close. I’m sure that’s the problem. Anyway, I’ve put it to the back of my mind.

  I take a deep breath. Big mistake. The music practice room (actually, cupboard with small window, and a few posters of old decrepit composers on the wall, is a better description) is so musty, it smells more like the boys’ locker room, than some place sweet sounds are made.

  “I know, but I’ve agreed now.” Tara fixes me with a pleading stare. “Please.”

  “Geez, Tara. You should be doing drama.” I shake my head. “Okay. I’ll do all of them. But, don’t make any more appointments until these are over, and we know whether it’s working.”

  Tara punches the air and runs to the door. She opens it and sticks her head out.

  “No one’s here yet. Liv better not be late, or that will put the rest of them back, and we need to finish by seven-thirty so we’re in time for rollcall.” She pushes the door shut, and sits on the chair by the piano, staring at her clipboard.

  I glance at my watch. Ten minutes to go. Maybe I should try and get myself in the zone. Like, start meditating or something. I flop down on the floor, cross my legs and shut my eyes.

  “Ommmmmmmm...” My voice makes a buzzing sound in my ears.

  “Megan, what the hell are you doing?”

  “Ssshhhh.” I half open one eye. “I’m trying to center myself.”

  “Excuse me?”

  I draw in a long breath. “Ommmmmmmmm. Ouch.” My eyes shoot open. “What did you do that for?” I scowl at Tara, while rubbing the arm she pinched.

  “I can hear voices. Get up.”

  She takes hold of my hand and pulls me up. Just in time, because there’s a knock on the door, and it opens.

  “Hey, Megan,” Liv says, peering in and resting her eyes on me, as I’m twisting my skirt back in place. “Where do you want me?”

  “Over here, Liv,” Tara says, taking a step toward the two chairs in the corner, that we’d positioned in a V shape almost facing each other.

  Following Tara, I sit down on my chair (the one which I purposely left my purse on, so I can face the clock on the wall) and clasp my hands, resting them in my lap. Except they don’t stay there long, because they’re so sweaty they keep slipping apart.

  I can do this. I can. All I’ve got to do is relax. And smile.

  “Thanks, Tara. We’ll be okay now.” I glance up at her, and she surprises me with a frown. “Is there anything wrong?”

  “You want me to leave?”

  “Yes”

  “You don’t want me to stay?” I arch an eyebrow, in disbelief.

  Where did she get the idea she could sit in on the sessions? “Of course not. You stand guard outside. This is between me and Liv. Right Liv?”

  She looks up. I don’t think she’s been listening to a thing we’ve been saying. “Whatever,” she says.

  Liv half smiles at me, while wrapping her fingers around the long silver chain that’s hanging from her neck, which she usually keeps hidden under her shirt. She seems as nervous as me. Though why she should feel like that I don’t know. It’s not like her entire existence is on the line if she screws up, is it?

  Then again, maybe she’s nervous about me peeking into her life.

  “Okay. Let’s start. We’ve only got twenty minutes.” It amazes me at how confident my voice sounds.

  I stare at Tara, and nod at the door. She wraps her arms around the clipboard, pulling it toward her, and leaves without saying another word.

/>   “First of all, I need something of yours to hold. It helps me focus.” And makes me look like I know what I’m doing. According to our research, lots of psychics use something belonging to their clients.

  “Like what?”

  “Your necklace will be good.” Liv lifts it over her head, and passes it to me. I cup it in my hands.

  Okay. This is it. As in this... is... it. Just think of the money. Yeah right. I’ll think of the money, and not be able to focus on anything else. That’s not such a good idea. I’m going to think of warm sunny days, lazing by the beach, gentle waves...

  “... Simon?” Crap. I missed the question.

  “Liv, I need you to ask the question again, only more slowly. That way, I can concentrate on what’s going on around you.”

  “Sorry. I didn’t realize. You know, I still can’t believe you’re psychic. When I think of how you could have helped me last year with Mark.”

  It’s probably not a good time to tell her I had a feeling that it would all turn to custard, way before it actually did. “Forget Mark. It’s Simon you want to know about, isn’t it?” A dreamy look flashes across Liv’s face.

  “I know he’s going with Elle, but I want to know what I can do to get him to finish with her, and ask me out.”

  Come on Megan. Think. Relax. Think. Focus on Liv and Simon. Think. And while you’re at it, think some more.

  Okay. I’m thinking. Now what?

  Clear your mind, and let whatever feelings and thoughts you have wash over you.

  Why isn’t anything happening? There’s nothing in my head at all, apart from total dread at embarrassing myself. I can’t believe that my very first attempt is turning out like this.

  Tara’s going to kill me. Her mom’s going to kill me, when I don’t come through with the money. My parents are going to kill me, when I have to tell them...

  Wait. I have something. It’s sort of fuzzy, but it’s definitely something.

  I blink several times, trying to clear the fuzziness. Geez. Simon and Elle are in it for the long haul. As in, I can see babies. Uh, oh. I think they split up once though. And that’s soon. Very soon.

  But how does Liv fit into all this? This is soooo hard. If I tell her about Simon and Elle, she’s not going to thank me. Dating advice is meant to help, not shatter dreams. Then again, if I don’t tell the truth, I’ll be found out when my predictions don’t turn out.

  Well, Liv.” I try to sound confident, as I look at her. “I can definitely see a break in Simon and Elle’s relationship. And...”

  “You can,” Liv says, while fidgeting in her chair. “When?”

  “I don’t know an exact date, my powers don’t work in that way. But, I think it will be soon. Probably, sometime this year.”

  “A year’s a long time. Can’t you be a bit more specific?”

  “It’s not that easy. Like I said, things come to me in a general way.”

  Liv gives a sigh. “But definitely this year.”

  “Yes, I believe so.” I swallow hard, as the enormity of what I’ve predicted hits me. What if Liv tells Elle or Simon that I knew they’d finish? How are they going to react to that?

  “So what next?” Liv asks, cutting into my thoughts.

  “What do you mean?” I ask.

  “You know. Once they finish, how am I going to get him to go out with me?”

  I don’t want to give her false hope, by saying he’s going to ask her out, because I’m not sure that he will. “There’s nothing you can do. Just wait and see if he asks you.” Her face drops.

  “But I thought you’d help me. Tell me something I should say. Like a chant. Or, suggest a potion. I’ve read all about them on the net.”

  “That’s not what I do,” I say, gently.

  That’s all I need, people thinking I’m a witch. If I’m not careful she’ll have me chanting over a cauldron in a high pitched squeaky voice.

  Chapter Four

  MY HEAD’S GONNA BURST. FOUR READINGS, one after the other, has totally wrecked me.

  “Come on, tell me everything,” Tara says, her voice full of excitement.

  “I can’t do that.”

  “Why not?” Tara’s bottom lip juts out, and she tilts her head on one side, looking dejected.

  “Because it’s wrong, and not fair.”

  I get that it’s hard for Tara, because we’ve always shared everything in the past, but this is different, and she’s got to understand.

  “Well, were the readings a success?”

  “I think so.”

  After Liv, the others seemed a breeze. Well, not a breeze exactly. There was one scary moment, with Jen, when all that came into my head was a cartoon mouse, but I think that’s because a plastic toy, standing on the piano, distracted me.

  Becky seemed a bit disappointed, when she asked how long she’d stay going out with Rich, and I had to tell her I can’t see them together after school. But, I did say that just because I can’t see it, doesn’t mean they won’t.

  You know, thinking on my feet is something I’m used to, but now it’s taking on a whole new dimension.

  “You’re not sure?” Tara asks.

  “We’ll talk more later, after roll-call. Which if we don’t hurry we’re going to miss and then end up with a drill.” I’ve had enough litter collection duties, to last me a lifetime. Why they can’t find some other punishment, I don’t know.

  “Hey, Megan.” I hear, as I walk into the day room. I turn and see Kate beckoning for me to come over.

  Tara and I exchange glances. Kate is the year above us, and Head of House. So, if she wants to speak to me that can only mean one thing... Trouble.

  As I make my way toward her she jumps up from her seat by the window and walks in my direction.

  “Quick,” she says. “Over here.” She grabs hold of my arm and pulls me out of the double glass doors and into the garden.

  “What’s wrong?”

  A pink tinge creeps up Kate’s face. “I need to ask you something.”

  “Me?” How weird is this. Kate, Head of House, Miss Popular, clever, sporty and everything else you could want to be, wants to ask me something that is causing her to blush.

  “Sure.” I lean against the wall, in an attempt to look relaxed, when all the time my heart is beating double time.

  “First, I need to know if it’s true.” She places her hands on her hips, and fixes me with a stare.

  “If what’s true?” I frown.

  “That you can tell the future? Or is this just another of your tricks?”

  What is it with everyone thinking it’s made up? Rhetorical question. Our reputation goes before us. More to the point, how come I didn’t guess that’s what she wanted? Try because no one is meant to know, apart from a few hand picked girls from our year.

  “No, it’s not another trick. Who told you?” I fold my arms tightly across my chest.

  “Emma.”

  Emma? And she knew how? Oh crap. She’s Becky’s cousin. That’s how.

  “Oh.”

  “Sorry,” Kate says. “I didn’t realize it was a secret.”

  What planet is this girl on? She knows what would happen if I get found out.

  “I’m just doing readings for a few girls. To earn some money. Please don’t tell,” I plead.

  Kate takes a step back. “Why would I do that?”

  “Because that’s your job?”

  “Megan. I’m not like that. I might be Head of House, but that doesn’t mean I have a hotline to the Principal or Mrs. Johnson.”

  “Thanks.” I’m unable to hide the relief in my voice.

  “Can I ask you my question then?”

  “Sorry, there’s no time at the moment. Let’s speak later.”

  “I hope you told her to come and see me, because I’m the one with the appointment book.”

  After the meeting, Tara and I came back here to our block, and we’re sitting in the common room with a cup of hot chocolate.

  “What appointment book
?”

  “Remember that locking diary my parents got me for Christmas?”

  “The one you hated because it had rainbows and stars on it?”

  “Yeah. Well, now it has a use. Look.” She pulls out of her pocket, a tiny diary with a padlock, and puts her hand down the front of her shirt, and lifts out a key on a string.

  “Tara.” I’m unable to contain the laughter. “It’s only today’s appointments. Not a list of government secrets.”

  “You could be doing hundreds of readings, so we need to keep track of them.”

  “Hundreds of readings? I don’t think so. For a start, I don’t need to do hundreds. And there won’t be hundreds of people wanting one. We did agree, remember, to keep it to girls in our year.”

  Tara looks away from me, and takes a sip of her chocolate. “That was before,” she mutters, without looking up.

  “Before what?”

  “Before the buzz went around the day room, when you were outside with Kate. Did I forget to tell you?” She turns her head and looks at me, the hint of a smile on her lips. “You, my girl, are hot. Thanks to Liv and Becky, who were so impressed by what you told them, practically everyone in the house knows.”

  Excitement bubbles in the pit of my stomach. I’m doing it right. I thought I was, but this is confirmation.

  “I have to admit, it’s cool how it’s working out so well.” I clasp my hands to my chest.

  “You’ll have paid my parents back within a month, I reckon, and have money spare.”

  “Seriously?”

  “As long as you do at least eight a week.”

  “Ah. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I can’t do four in one hit again. It totally wiped me out. What about if I do three, twice a week?”

  Tara’s face falls. “But, I’ve already taken appointments for Thursday and Friday.”

  “I can’t do Thursday, because I’ve got a play rehearsal, remember?” I auditioned and got a small part in the school musical this year. Not because I have theatrical leanings, or a spectacular singing voice, but Dan does drama. Which, in my opinion, is a good enough reason for anyone to audition.