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He searched for Brianna while trying to look casual He spotted Quinn, dancing all alone, and Dekka, sitting silent, brooding in a corner

Standing near Dekka but not with her was a kid Jack thought at first seemed familiar A boy, e on his nose Jack noticed the boy because the boy was staring at him The instant Jack made eye contact the boy looked away

Jack heard a rising chorus of happy, encouraging shouts and clapping hands He followed the sound and there was Brianna She was dancing alone—no one could possibly have danced with her—keeping her own accelerated beat ten times faster than the music

Her dress sort of floated around her, not quite attached, a blue cloud Jack found the effect utterly fascinating Brianna wasn’t what people would call beautiful, she wasabout her that nore And not just the fact that she was the Breeze

“Go, Breeze,” someone yelled

But another voice yelled, “Quit showing off, stupid mutant”

Brianna stopped dead Her dress settled back into place “Who said that?”

Zil The same jerk who had picked on Jack over the phones

“Me,” Zil said, stepping forward “And don’t bother trying to look tough I’m not scared of you, freak”

“You should be,” Brianna hissed

Suddenly there was Dekka, up off her chair, hand extended between Brianna and Zil “No,” she said in her deep voice “None of that”

Quinn joined her “Dekka’s right, we can’t be having fights and stuff here Sam will shut this place down”

“Maybe we should have two different clubs,” a seventh grader named Antoine said “You know, one for freaks and one for normals”

“Man, what is the matter with you?” Quinn demanded

“I don’t like her acting like she’s so cool, is all,” Zil said, stepping beside Antoine