Magic in science

"Well, I've always kind of known things," I tell the group of kids around me, kids who would normally pretend my seat was empty. They don't do that today, because one of them heard what happened in home room. I had heard of a trick I modified a little for more easy school performance and it worked. It worked so well, as soon as I got done, people were asking for me to do it again.

"The lottery? Do you know the lotto numbers?". It doesn't work that way, I say with practiced patience. "I'm not telling the future, I'm peaking into your thoughts, and it's not perfect. Sometimes I get stuff wrong."

The teacher walks over and asks me about the electricity we are supposed to be working on. I tell her how the two switches can control the one lightbulb and she suggests that I should start building it and quit talking. She has no idea how I think this might change my standing. Mind reading in middle school is definitely cool. She pulls her white sweater around her and turns to return to her desk.

The kids that backed away came back around me whispering. "Can you do it now? Can you read my mind?". "I can, I say but it helps if you write it, because you are focused, but you don't have to write it first, just be prepared to write it.".

While I'm talking, I pull a piece if paper into ten pieces. I hand half of the pieces to Julie, who wants to be first. I then ask her the first question and tell her to focus on the answer. I stare at her and put my hands to my temples, I do my best imitation of someone focusing. I write my answer then drop it into a little cup, which I gathered in first hour. I then have her write her answer. I take it from her glance at it, with a smile which tells her I got it right and drop it into the cup. Well look at the end. I then ask her the next question.

The kids watch Julie and I like hawks. Some are trying to figure out if she is in on it, others are wondering how I do it, other genuinely think I might be the real deal. The classroom is full of lights going on and off, attached to these oversized batteries, like the ones my grandpa put in his fishing flashlight. There is no science going on at my desk, which might be a problem. I pull a battery out and begin messing with the wires. I whisper the next question.

In ten minutes all the questions have been asked and answered and it is time for the reveal. I dump the crumpled papers out of the cup and look to Julie. Together we start opening them and matching answer to answer. With each correct answer her eyes get bigger. When it is revealed that all five are correct, which doesn't always happen, her mouth is a little agape. "How did you..."

Her words are interrupted with a cough. The teacher's cough. She is standing right over us, I don't know how long she has been there. "What are you doing?". She says, clearly in no mood for games. "Showing them," waving my hands at the kids watching,"how I'm psychic.". "You are not psychic and you are.." "I got five out of five right"

She looks at me thinking, well I'm not sure what she was thinking. "Take your desk to the hallway, where you won't be distracting the other students with you tricks.". I started to tell her it wasn't a trick, but the moment was gone. In the hall, I was looking forward to Math.