The Weird Travels of Aimee Schmidt: The Curse of the Gifted by J.A. Schreckenbach

I’ll count off one point for each item missing.” Several students groaned, but Dr. Morris proceeded without paying any attention. “Essay questions need to be in paragraph form, complete sentences, and be sure to use proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling. You guys are going to be in college this fall, so write as if you’re literate.” A couple snickers rumbled across the room. “Validate your statements. Remember, I can tell if you’re trying to dupe your way through, so don’t be tempted. Okay? Once everyone gets a test you’ll have fifty minutes.”
    Aimee waited tensely.
    Dr. Morris looked over her glasses again searching the faces in front of her. “Well then, you can begin.”
    Aimee checked the clock above Dr. Morris’s desk, and then discreetly glanced over her shoulder to the back of the room. Covertly she scanned the desks. Dylan sat at the end of the next aisle surrounded by a couple of his football buddies. Her gaze stopped at Dylan’s desk, then moved up to lock onto his face. Right at that second he looked up, catching her lame attempt to be subtle. A smile stretched across his face and he nodded. Aimee smiled back nervously. Blake, the boy behind Aimee, poked a finger in her back and whispered, “Hey, wake up.” He pointed at Heather in front of Aimee about to dump the pile of tests over her shoulder. She reeled around and grabbed the tests and took one for herself before passing the rest to Blake.
    “Sorry,” said Aimee.
    Blake groaned. Aimee stared down at the test, but suddenly her brain clouded. Like Blake, she groaned. She grumbled to herself. Come on, Aimee. FOCUS! Aimee slowly read and reread each essay question, but answers would not register. Dylan’s gorgeous face kept interrupting any attempt to concentrate on the test. She couldn’t breathe. She pulled at her collar to loosen its chokehold. Chelsea glanced over at Aimee with a puzzled look. Aimee shrugged and pointed at the first question.
    Without glancing up, Aimee noticed Dr. Morris strolling down the aisle. She paused at Aimee's desk and checked her paper. Dr. Morris's fingers grazed over the first question, then she peered at Aimee curiously. She leaned into Aimee's space and whispered, “Everything okay?”
    “Yes, ma’am, I think so. I haven’t been feeling well today.” Aimee kept her eyes glued to her test. Hmm, not so hard, she thought. Aimee figured it was wise to lay the groundwork for when she would ask to go see Mrs. North.
    Dr. Morris lingered for what seemed like forever. Her stare burned into the side of Aimee's face, and Aimee felt heat spread across her cheeks. It settled into her ears and turned them a nice cherry red. Aimee stunk at faking. Her father said her ears always gave her away when Aimee tried to tell a lie, even a little white one. Aimee was sure Dr. Morris had to notice the beacons on either side of her head. She froze, her lips pursed, expecting a siege of scrutiny. Without taking her eyes off the page, Aimee finally heard Dr. Morris's footsteps proceed down the aisle. Aimee melted into her desk. With a deep breath, her heart started to beat again. She tried to shake the cobwebs from her brain. She flipped the page hoping the next set of questions made sense. The test was short, three pages, covering material she had studied, but now it seemed like she was reading Greek. She was definitely screwed.
    All right, enough, Aimee. Geez, you know this stuff. Aimee fumed. She gulped another breath, clasped her eyes shut, then exhaled slowly. She opened her eyes and looked at the test again. Finally, Dylan’s face erased from her brain, and her pen started flying over the page struggling to keep up with her thoughts. She kept this pace until about a minute before the bell when she finally looked up.
    Aimee was the last one holding her test.
    Dr. Morris peered over her dark rimmed glasses. “Finished?”
    Aimee nodded and tossed her test into the basket Dr. Morris was clutching. The bell rang and