Marilyn Kaye - Out of Sight, Out of Mind

The words tumbled out. "I used to be Tracey. Tracey Devon. Emily's down in the basement with Serena, and-"

Madame didn't let her finish. She grabbed Amanda's arm. "Take me to her!"

Rapidly, Amanda led her down the two flights of stairs. When they reached the basement, Serena's voice could be heard.

"The numbers, Emily! The numbers! I'm in control of your mind-you have to respond. What are the numbers?"

Then they could hear Emily's voice, not as loud, but distinct. "Four… eighteen…"

"Yes, yes, keep going. I need all seven numbers."

"Twenty-four…"

By now, Madame had moved on ahead of Amanda, and she was the first to enter the storage room. Amanda was right behind her.

"Ms. Hancock! What are you doing?"

"Get out of here!" the student teacher yelled. "I'm working with a student!"

"Forty-six…" Emily murmured.

Madame strode forward and knocked the spinning disk out of Serena's hand. "Wake up, Emily. Wake up!"

"Stop it! Stop it!" Serena shrieked. "This is important! Keep going, Emily! Just three more numbers!"

But now Madame had her hands on Emily's shoulders and was shaking her. Emily opened her eyes and smiled vaguely.

"Hello, Madame."

"Emily, what's happening?"

"I'm predicting the winning lottery numbers. For next week."

Madame looked fiercely at Serena and stepped toward her. Serena glared right back. "Don't bother trying to report me. No one will believe you."

Amanda tried to block the doorway as Serena started walking out, but the student teacher pushed her aside. And Amanda didn't resist all that much. She didn't particularly want to know what might happen if she banged her head again.

It was when she stepped backward that she almost tripped on something. No, somebody. Madame saw her, too.

"Tracey! Are you all right? What's going on?"

The thin, fair-haired girl struggled to her feet. "I-I'm not sure." She looked at Amanda, and her brow puckered. Then, a small smile appeared on her face.

"I know you…"

Amanda glared at her. "No, you don't." She turned to Madame, who was now propping up a dazed Emily with one arm while reaching for Tracey with the other. "I guess everything's okay here now, right?"

Without waiting for a response, she left the room, went back up to the main floor, and headed directly into a girls' restroom. It had been a long time since she'd fixed her hair and repaired her makeup.

LUNCH PERIOD WAS ALMOST over. From her prime seat at the best table, Amanda watched as students raced to the conveyor belt to dump their trays. She herself had no tray. Someone had not been watching her eating habits over the past week and had gained two pounds. Her mother had kindly prepared her a lunch of two hard-boiled eggs, carrot sticks, and an apple.

Britney spoke. "Ohmigod! Look at Terri Boyd."

Amanda looked. "What about her?"

"Her skirt's practically transparent. You can see her panties."

Amanda squinted. "Oh yeah, right."

Katie identified the next victim. "See Cara Winters? She's been telling everyone she got that sweater from a J. Crew catalog. But I saw the label when she took it off in gym, and it came from Target."

Amanda looked. "Actually, you'd be surprised," she remarked. "They've got some pretty decent-looking clothes at Target."

Katie, Britney, Nina, Sophie, and Emma gaped at her in horror. "When were you in Target?" Sophie asked.

Amanda grimaced. She'd been making stupid goofs like this for a couple of days. She had to remember who she was.

"Um, my mother was buying dish towels there. And we happened to walk past some clothes."

They appeared to be satisfied with that explanation, though Amanda could still see skepticism in Britney's expression. The old Amanda Beeson might have been forced to walk past the clothing department at Target, but she wouldn't have looked as she passed.

She didn't want to think that she'd changed at all over the past week, and she certainly didn't want her friends to notice anything different about her. But it wasn't always easy. Like right now, as Tracey Devon carried her tray past their table. Amanda's eyes met Tracey's. They didn't speak, but there was definitely a silent communication.

"Why are you looking at her?" Katie demanded to know.

Amanda couldn't resist. "I was just wondering… do you think she looks different?" she ventured.

"Yeah, I noticed that, too," Nina remarked. "She's dressing a lot better. And I like her hair."

"But she's still a nerd," Britney reminded her. "Once a nerd, always a nerd. And I'm absolutely positive her clothes came from Target."

"Oh yes, absolutely," Nina agreed.

They were right about that. Amanda remembered choosing the printed top to wear with that skirt. She was actually rather proud of her work.

"Why are we even talking about her?" Katie asked. "She's nobody."

"That's not true," Amanda said. "She's somebody." Aware of how her friends were looking at her, she amended that. "Just not somebody we want to know."

She hadn't spoken to Tracey since that meeting in the basement storage room. She had to admit-she was curious. Where had Tracey been when Amanda had taken over her body? Had she been aware of what was going on? Was her relationship with her parents still improving? And what about the Devon Seven? Amanda particularly wanted to know about Randie. Maybe someday, when no one was around to see, she could corner Tracey and get the answers to some of her questions. And find out what Tracey remembered. And threaten her, or bribe her, or do whatever it took to make sure she never, ever told anyone what had happened.

Not that Amanda was really worried. Who would believe it? Only one person other than herself knew the whole story--Jenna Kelley. And she knew Jenna would never tell. Because Jenna knew that Amanda had information that could send Jenna into foster care.

Or maybe she wouldn't tell because Jenna was actually a good person who wouldn't want to hurt Amanda… Amanda gritted her teeth. She hated when little thoughts like that popped inside her head. They were so not Amanda-style thoughts.

Britney was looking at her oddly. "You okay?"

"Fine," Amanda said briskly. Knowing what she now knew about how Britney talked about her behind her back, Amanda was especially careful not to give her any clues about how she'd changed.

And there was another stupid not-Amanda thought. I haven't changed. I'm me again. "I want to go to the restroom and check my hair before the bell rings," she announced.

Britney and Katie got up with their trays. "We'll meet you there," Katie announced.

Amanda thought the restroom was empty when she walked in, but then she heard a toilet flush, and Jenna Kelley came out of a stall.

She looked at Amanda, and Amanda looked at her. Amanda couldn't stop herself. "Are you still staying at Tracey's?"

"What's it to you?" Jenna snapped.

"Just wondering if that party's still going on at your place."

Jenna glowered at her. "Don't you dare feel sorry for me."

"Don't worry," Amanda said feelingly. "I won't." Britney and Katie came in.

"How are things in vampire land, Jenna?" Britney asked, and Katie giggled. Jenna walked out. "Weirdo freak," Britney murmured. "Amanda, can I borrow your lip-gloss?"

Amanda had English for her next class. She'd just walked in when the teacher beckoned her up to his desk.

"I just received a message," he told her. "You're wanted in administration."

"Why?" Amanda asked, but the teacher didn't know. He handed her a hall pass, and she left. When she entered the reception area, the secretary told her to go directly into Mr. Jackson's office.