M.I.N.D. by Elissa Harris Page A

Friday.”
    â€œWell, since you’re so smart, you can help me come up with an idea.”
    â€œHow’s this? Put a mirror at the front of the class, then count how many girls look at themselves as they come in.”
    â€œGuys too,” I say. “Don’t forget Brendan. Except it’s been done a million times. Though maybe I can do something on the narcissistic male.”
    â€œDo a freak test, not a sleaze test. Dress up all emo, then get their reactions. See who reacts with hate, see who’s surprised.”
    â€œWhy go emo? I can just be me. Parapsychology is an offshoot of psychology, right? Ladies and gentlemen, step right up! Watch Cassie Stewart aka Spassie Cassie ditch her body and infiltrate someone else’s! Experience the thrill! Any volunteers?”
    Leanne looks horrified.
    Then I get a brainstorm. “It doesn’t have to be an OBE. I could do card tricks. Okay, not card tricks. They’re pretty explainable. But something paranormal. And statistical, like how many times the Magic 8 Ball gets the right answer. What do you think?”
    â€œAsk again later.”
    I Google paranormal and get 32,100,426 hits. “Wow. This stuff sure is popular. Telepathy, ESP, psychic healing, telekinesis, astral projection, out-of-body and near-death experiences, channeling, remote viewing, et cetera, et cetera—it’s all here on the Internet.”
    â€œYou forgot the Easter Bunny,” Leanne says, snapping the locket shut. She sits up, then folds her legs in a half-lotus pose. “Seriously, what if you really are psychic? Can you imagine? You could ace your finals. Even better, you could know when someone’s lying when you ask their opinion, like if you’re worried you look fat in a skirt or something.”
    â€œYou’re the only one I’d ask that,” I say.
    â€œYou could know what’s going through Zack’s head. You could find out what he really likes. You know, in a girlfriend. Then you become her. Trust me, this is my area of expertise. I know what I’m talking about.”
    I have no doubt. Didn’t she make herself over for Josh? “I was her,” I reply. “Literally. Remember Stephanie? Anyway, I already told you, I’m not psychic. I can’t read minds.”
    â€œI have a theory about that. You know how a radio station can pick up another station’s signal? Like when I’m driving and we’re listening to country and suddenly we get rap. You’re like a car radio. The jolt to your head turned your brain into some kind of receiver.” She looks over at Oreo. “Think of it as leakage.”
    â€œGreat. You’re saying I should wear diapers on my head?”
    â€œI’m just trying to figure it out,” she says testily. “Do you want my help or not?”
    â€œSorry,” I murmur. “Better to be psychic than psycho, I suppose.”
    â€œExactly. You’re experiencing the other person’s mind, except you’re blocking out their thoughts. All you need is a little fine tuning.”
    I shut my laptop. “That makes no sense whatsoever.”
    â€œLike jumping into someone’s body makes sense?” She pushes her legs into a tighter knot. “You have to concentrate really hard. You have to pull in their thoughts. Too bad you never know when it’s going to happen. You could totally cash in.”
    â€œActually, I have a theory too. I don’t think it’s so random.” I tell her how just before I zoned out, I wanted to be Vardina. How I wanted to be Stephanie. How I wanted to be her . “It’s like making a wish, except I really have to feel it.”
    She smiles. “I’m flattered. Sometimes I want to be you too.”
    I smile back.
    â€œOkay, so let’s try it,” she says. “Let’s see if you can pick up a signal.”
    â€œWhat, now? You want me to jump into your body