03: Strange Influences

In all the land there is only one you,
possibly two, but seldom more than sixteen.

Amy Sedaris

After school, Logan and Aiesha headed to the weekly GLA meeting, walking against the departing crowds, when a large student stalked down the hall. He scowled as everyone struggled to get out of his way, which was difficult given the still crowded hallways.

“That’s Roger Ales,” Logan said as they too stepped aside. “He and I have an unfortunate history.”

“Yeah, you and everybody in the school. He’s a known bully who doesn’t care whether he gets suspended, even though he’s a senior. Everyone’s terrified of him.” But as he passed, obviously focused on his destination, he didn’t give anyone a glance. Though anybody who didn’t get clear, he rammed with his shoulder, knocking them, their books and papers to the floor—further impeding traffic.

“Well, survived another day,” Logan said. “Guess he’s after someone else today.”

“Have you ever gotten into a fight?” she asked as they resumed walking.

“No. He took offense when I didn’t immediately capitulate and made a few snide comments.”

“Probably not a smart move.”

“True, but he only gets away with that behavior because everyone lets him and his friends walk all over them. He’s not a fan, but he leaves me alone.”

“For the moment. If he’s already watching you, it likely won’t take much before he starts something.”

Logan shrugged. “Let ‘em, I still won’t back down, for the same reason.”

She glanced at him. “I don’t know whether to admire you for your blind courage or pity you.” She paused, looking at him again. “This isn’t another Asperger’s thing, is it?”

“No, or at least it’s not one I’ve heard of. I don’t think anyone’s ever cataloged them before, but whenever I get talking to another aspie, we usually find some new commonality. But what’s the worst he can do, hit me? I’ll live, but I’ll definitely let him know I’m no pushover. Bullies are essentially cowards, attacking those too terrified to fight back.”

“Yeah, but they grow braver when they have a crew of cronies backing them up.”

“Still, I’d rather take a punch or two than fold to a creep like him. It’s too expensive surrendering my morals for something so insignificant.”

“Well, be sure to call when it happens, and I’ll help revive you—or phone 911.”

“So, what do you think your mothers’ expert will say tonight?”

“I don’t know. I’ve been wondering about it all day. Hopefully they’ll shed more light on what’s occurring. I dislike not knowing what’s happening. I knew there was a reason I was attracted to you and Leslie. However, it took a long time to get close to either of you, where I knew I belonged. With luck, we’ll finally find out why tonight.”

“Don’t get your hopes up. Your mother didn’t know. Apparently, what we share is far from common, and I doubt anyone knows about it.”

“We’ll see,” she cautioned. “If nothing else, maybe we’ll pick up a few more clues.”

“Here it is,” he said, steering her towards a classroom on the left. They entered, and as expected there weren’t a lot of students, only five in total, not including them. Aiesha recognized the group’s leader, her English teacher, Miss Anne Leicher, a short blond in jeans and a rainbow t-shirt. They nodded at each other, as the instructor glanced around.

“It looks like this is everyone today, though we’ve gained two new members. Are you just visiting, or can we expect to see you again?”

Both stood. “I’m Logan and this is Aiesha, my girlfriend, but we’re planning to attend for a while.”

“Good, we don’t ask anyone to state their preferences, though occasionally someone will speak about their personal experiences. If it’s an issue, talk to me, otherwise everyone’s welcome. We always appreciate the support.”

“That’s what we hoped,” Ai acknowledged, as they sat again.

After a few moments, Ai nudged Logan, indicating a small Oriental girl sitting across from them, studying them rather than listening to the current speaker.

“Pay attention to her,” she urged, leaning in and whispering so they wouldn’t distract the group. “We’ll want to talk with her.”

He glanced at her and the girl’s eyes dropped as she blushed, but she immediately looked back up, meeting and maintaining his gaze. He grinned and turned back to Aiesha. “Why?”

“Trust me, we need to,” she assured him. “It’s the same feeling I got with both you and Leslie.”

He reconsidered the petite girl, and she was still observing them, blushing slightly when their eyes met, but she never broke eye contact. He smiled back and winked.

“Okay, this might be interesting. Just let her know it wasn’t my idea.”

“Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me,” she said as she grasped his thigh as they gazed at the new girl.

Aside from a review of upcoming events, it was mostly status updates, since the others were regulars. A couple discussed recent problems—mostly with their parents or friends, and they offered encouragement or suggestions, but it was a relatively short meeting.

Once it ended, the members talked to their pals, though most also stopped to introduce themselves again. No one asked any personal questions besides their grade or inquiring about shared classes. But the girl they’d been watching waited for the others to finish before she approached.

“Pardon me, I’m Jie Gai. I couldn’t help noticing you.” She hesitated, glancing between them. “I’m not sure why, but I felt I needed to speak to you, and I’d definitely like to reconnect and talk later.”

Logan and Aiesha looked at each other, before he spoke. “Uh, we weren’t here to hook-up with anyone, but we may have a clue why you’re drawn to us. If it’s not exclusively because we’re both so cute,” he teased, winking at her. “We have someone you’d like to meet. A few people in fact: our girlfriend and Ai’s parents. We’d explain, but this is something which is better seen than explained.”

Jie was relatively short, with shoulder length straight black hair, smooth skin, a bright smile and straightforward demeanor. She was thin and wore a green top with blue jeans, holding a similarly colored jacket over her arm. Best of all, she had the cutest upturned button nose, and absolutely delightful dimples. She nodded, as if his statements made a lick of sense.

“Sure, I’d like that, especially since asking me to meet your parents reveals a great deal of trust and interest. I’d be honored.”

“Good, however, you’ll need to call yours. This morning Ai’s Mom informed us an expert is stopping by who’ll hopefully shed some light on the subject over dinner. So, if it’s affecting you, you’ll definitely want to hear what she has to say. If you can’t make it, we’ll reschedule before she leaves. We’d also like to introduce you to our ... partner, who’ll certainly want to talk.”

“Tell them some friends asked you to meet their parents,” Aiesha suggested, “and that it’s important. I’ll give you our number so they can check with mine first.”

“If I tell them someone in the gay/straight alliance wants me to meet their family, mine will make the correct assumptions. They were beginning to think this whole bisexual bit was a ploy to avoid dating anyone at all. It won’t be a problem as they’ll be relieved, though they’ll expect to meet you too.”

“Would you like to talk as we head out?” Logan asked. “We can provide a lift home, if it helps.”

“Sure, I’d appreciate it, though I have my own car.”

“So, Jie,” Logan said as they headed out, “tell us about yourself. What grade are you in?”

“Hold on,” she said as she pulled her cellphone out and called her mother.

“Mom,” she said after a few rings. “I met a wonderful couple. In fact, it’s a threesome, and they want me to meet their parents. Do you mind if I skip dinner tonight?” Jie motioned to Ai, who provided her parent’s number, which she relayed.

“Thanks. I’ll tell you all about it when I get home.” She listened for a few more moments. “Yeah, they’re willing to see you too, just set a date. There are several people to coordinate schedules with. We’ll talk later. Bye.”

“That’s an understanding mother, even by Ai’s standards,” Logan noted.

“Now, as we were saying,” she continued after putting her phone away. “I’m a Junior, with an interest in the arts and an avid reader. I’m not much into most organized sports, but I love hiking and the usual long walks in the rain.” She grinned cheekily at her cliche. “How about you?”

“Show her your sketchbook,” Ai suggested.

He paused, then pulled it from his back pocket and handed it to her.

“Ah, you discern and appreciate quality materials,” she said, not even opening it. “Archival, acid-free paper that’ll accept both pen and watercolor without disintegrating.” She opened and paged through it, studying each before moving to the next.

“Nice! I especially like your single-line drawings, it shows a real attention to detail and an ability to see and accentuate details others miss.”

“Which are those?” Aiesha asked.

She turned back to a particular one and showed it to them both. “See how the entire piece is constructed with a series of interconnecting lines. It starts with the figure on the left,” she traced the line without touching the page. “And transfers to the one on the right, then follows his clothes into the woman in the background. The tree lines flow into the individual leaves, transforming into the car, to the hood and then the larger window frame.”

“Those represent the eye’s motion,” Logan said. “Most people assume we see a giant picture of the world all the time, but it’s not how the eyes function. Instead, the eyes are continually shifting, focusing on one detail, then another and then another to compile the total image. This captures how they operate, jumping from one item to another to form a complete picture.”

“Another sign of a knowledgeable artist.” Jie grinned, studying him with a new appreciation. “You’ve not only studied this, you’ve created your own, unique artistic style. It will help if you ever want to show in a gallery. I’m assuming you’ve already researched other artists’ works supporting this particular school.”

Logan grinned; pleased someone finally recognized the labor he poured into his work. “As much as I can, without doing a detailed research project on it.”

“Wait,” Ai said, “why didn’t you explain this to me. It’s fascinating!”

“I’ve been told it’s best to not talk about my art too much at any given time. It’s seen as bragging. But if someone’s interested and asks, then you give them the additional details, providing just enough to keep them curious without overwhelming them.”

“That would be Leslie,” Aiesha informed Jie. “She’s a bit overprotective, which sometimes hurts as much as it helps. She actually told him never to dance in public because it looks weird!”

“I have a few autistic traits,” he explained.

“And this Leslie, she’s your partner?”

“Well, it’s a gray area,” Ai clarified. “She’s my girlfriend, and he’s my boyfriend, so technically, they share me between them.”

“Hey,” she said, raising her hands. “Whatever floats your boat.”

“Officially, I’m ambisexual, though I definitely have a hetro slant. His sister Leslie is a confirmed lesbian, and thinks he’s missing certain vital parts while having several nonessentials dangling in the wrong places.”

“Wait, they’re siblings?” Logan nodded “Boy this, gets more interesting all the time.”

“If you don’t mind my asking, what about you?” she pressed.

“I’m definitely bisexual, but I’ve been waiting, not wanting to date one or the other and then having someone freak when they discover I prefer both. I’ve ... been looking for compatable bi couple before getting involved with anyone.”

“So, we cover a whole sexuality gambit,” he observed.

“Just how open is your sister?” Jie grinned at the idea.

“She says she’s willing to play where he’s concerned, but I’m not sure it’s wise to push her on it,” Aiesha said.

“She’s also still in the closet,” he cautioned, “due to her friends already being a bit leery of her. So please, be careful what you say about her.”

“You should bring it up at the next meeting, as that’s what it’s for. A lot of people have similar problems, so they’ll relate and offer useful suggestions. It’ll help everyone.”

“I’ll have to do that. Leslie’s considering attending, though she hasn’t actually decided to yet.”

“It sounds a little lopsided,” Jie observed. “You’re carrying the entire load, Ai, while Logan and Leslie are basically afraid of each other. It’s not a solid dynamic, though ... I could potentially ease the strain,” she said, smirking. “Everyone knows two-couple foursomes are more stable than a threesome. And tell your sister not to worry, anything said in our group is confidential and they won’t repeat it.”

“Even newcomers like us?” Logan said. “No one told us anything when we walked in.”

“We arrived as a couple,” Aiesha pointed out, “and Miss Leicher knows about my Moms. She knows we’re safe.”

“Moms? Like a biological mother and a stepparent?”

“No, I have two lesbian mothers and no father, so I was raised in a non-binary environment.”

“And you both keep getting more and more fascinating.” She halted. “So, is the dinner tonight at your house?”

“It sure is, since we’d rather not spill anything at ours,” Logan specified, grinning.

“I was wondering how much longer you’d be,” Leslie said when they reached their car. “Who’s the new girl?”

“Leslie, this is Jie Gai,” Logan said. “She felt ‘drawn’ to us and seems like a natural fit. Ai’s called her moms, so she’s coming to dinner with us.”

Leslie took a moment to size her up. “Cute and I can easily take her in a fight. I love her already.” She kissed her cheek. “We’re running late. Climb in and we’ll talk in the car.”

The door opened almost immediately when Aiesha rang the bell. Yolonda leaned in, hugging her. “We’ve been eagerly awaiting your arrival. Please, come in. We’re looking forward to meeting your new friend.”

“It won’t screw up dinner will it?” she asked. “It was a little last-minute.”

Her mother waved her hand, motioning everyone in. “That’s never a problem. Any friend of yours is always welcome. It just means a few less leftovers.”

“Mom,” Aiesha said, putting her arm around the newest guest, “this is Jie. She’s like us, and needs to hear the discussion, as this affects her too.”

“I’m pleased to meet you, Ms. Peters-Katz,” she said.

“Forget it, it’s too difficult for normal conversation. Just call me Mom like everybody else

“Hello everyone, please come in.” She took Jie’s hand and guided her into the middle of the room, before partially turning. “Hannah, could you get the lights?” She turned back to her daughter. “Everyone else, keep your distance so we can see.”

As the room darkened, she walked away, leaving the mystified girl glancing around all alone.

“Now join her, Ai,” she instructed. When she did, she held Jie by her waist, pulling her close, and the tiny girl relaxed.

“Yep,” Yolonda announced, “Ai’s correct. She’s definitely like the rest of you.”

“This is amazing!” said a woman none of the kids met before. She approached Jie, who glanced between her and her new friends. “I’ve never seen the likes of this. You not only have similar auras, but they merge and modify each other.”

“Wait,” Jie objected. “I was told someone would explain what’s happening, but this is getting downright strange. What the hell’s an aura, and what does it have to do with me?”

“An aura is an energy signature, an indication of what we’re experiencing we all give off.” Logan and Leslie hugged the diminutive Korean, having rejoined her. “Unfortunately, most people—like Leslie and me—can’t detect it. But ‘empaths’, like Yolonda and Ai, can. Hannah’s somewhere in the middle. She has sufficient training to notice it but can’t do much more.”

“And the four of us have a unique trait which apparently no one else has observed before,” Leslie continued. “Rather than remaining static, our auras combine, grow and strengthen each of us. We’re hoping we can finally discover why tonight.”

“It’s also what first attracted me to Leslie and Logan,” Aiesha added, “and what similarly drew me to you, and you to us.”

“That’s it in a nutshell,” Yolonda confirmed. “After asking around with a few people better informed on the nuances of these energy-medicine traits, they recommended Ms. Ioana Dascălu.”

“Call me Ioana. Now, please, move apart.” Glancing at one another, the teenagers took a couple steps away from each other. “More,” she snapped, waving her hand, and they complied.

“Okay, now everyone but young boy, go other room. Yolon,” she continued, mispronouncing her name, “join me.” This time they glanced at one another, but with a little shuffling, they did so too.