Maybe he was right, but you couldn’t wash your mind or un-see things. “Yeah, well, believe it or not, too much information is an actual thing. Like getting the glimpse of when you and Bambi—”
“Blair.”
“Whatever.” I gagged.
“I don’t know why you’re so stubborn. Not letting anyone touch you isn’t the answer.”
I elbowed him again. “Gross! You want people to touch me. That’s so messed up.”
“Shut it. You know what I meant.” He messed up my hair. “I’m gone in a few weeks, and I’m worried about you.”
I glanced up at him. We looked like twins, except he was all angles, whereas my face was round. Axel was only two years older than me, and was, without a doubt, my best friend. “I’ll be fine without your butt stinking up the house.”
He smiled like I wanted, but I wasn’t so sure that I’d actually be fine. Even if he wouldn’t admit it, I knew he’d picked a Texas college because we’d still be within driving distance. I hated that he’d turned down other schools, and hated myself a little for being glad that he’d done it.
He nudged me. “I dare you to find out what the deal is with Dad’s new job.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s leaving his celeb-filled job in LA to work for some random boarding school in Texas. That doesn’t strike you as odd at all?”
I shrugged. “I guess I hadn’t thought about it. I’m just looking forward to not going back to school here. I don’t think I could take another year of those monsters.” I paused. I shouldn’t have brought that up. “Look. The gloves will work fine in a school that’s clueless as to what they mean. I’m old enough not to talk about what I see anymore. Plus, I’m getting better at minimizing the number of visions I get. It’ll be a fresh start, and I’m not about to poke holes in something that might actually be a good thing.”
“Aren’t you curious? Even a little?”
I thought about it. “Well, I wasn’t…”
Axel sat up so quickly that I almost fell off the bed. “You have to go downstairs, to Dad’s office, and touch some of those papers from St. Ailbe’s.”
“That’s a terrible idea.” Going downstairs during a party where people might actually want to hug me good-bye was a disaster waiting to happen. Add messing around in Dad’s office, and I’d be begging for a grounding. Only a moron would agree to this.
“Come on.” He gave me the look-that cocky, half-grin that told me I was about to get into trouble. “We’ll go downstairs, sneak a glass of champagne, you can get an eye-full of Sir Hunkalot, and then we can find out the real story on this move. We’ll be sneaky, and no one will see us.” He paused. “I didn’t want to have to say this, but I double-dog dare you.”
I couldn’t stop the grin. “What are you? Twelve?”
“What are you? Forty?” He poked me. “Live a little. You’ve gotta start having some fun, Tess.”
I wouldn’t mind seeing Sir Hunkalot. I snickered at the name. Plus, whatever we did had to be more entertaining than bouncing a ball against the wall. “Fine. But if I do this, then you’ve got to do something for me.”
Axel crossed his arms. “Name it.”
I could never think of anything good enough on the spot and he knew it. Then it came to me, and an evil grin spread across my face. “No chicharones on the road trip.” I almost patted myself on the back. Fried pork skins were something that I couldn’t stomach. Even if both he and my mom swore they were positively delectable.
His mouth dropped open. “What! You’re talking about messing with a road trip tradition. That’s sacred stuff.”
I crossed my arms. “They’re disgusting.”
“You’ve never even tried them.” He narrowed his gaze. “They’re delicious.”
“I don’t need to try them to know I won’t like them. Eating pig skin in any form is revolting.” I stared him down. “And they stink.” It might not seem like a big deal, but on a road trip halfway across the country, it was huge. Multiple bags could be avoided. Two days of a chicharone-free car ride was more than adequate reparation for one vision. “Do we have a deal?”
He left my room.
Great. Now I actually wanted the deal, and he was bailing. I wouldn’t give in. If I knew my brother at all, he’d be back in ten, nine, eight, seven—
“Just kidding.” He appeared back in the doorway. “Let’s do this.”
I started out the door and then ran back. I’d only left a few pairs of gloves unpacked. I grabbed the heather gray cotton pair and slid them on, doing up the apple buttons along the forearm as I walked into the hallway. I would’ve changed, but there was nothing nicer for me to put on. My jeans, white peasant blouse, and leather flip-flops would have to do. “Ready?”