18. Amanda

When Syssi guessed the first four tosses correctly, Jasmines eyes widened, and when she continued guessing the next ten, she gaped.

Unbelievable. Jasmine shook her head. You could make a killing at poker.

Syssi chuckled. I never tried applying my precognition in a card game. With my luck, it wouldnt work. Besides, it would be cheating.

A blush tinted Jasmines cheeks. Im just good at reading peoples responses, and thats a legitimate part of the game, so its not cheating.

It might also be precognition, and thats what I want to test. Amanda reached for the card deck. To eliminate the possibility that you are reading my responses, I will turn my back on you so that you wont see my face when I lift a card and ask you what it is. Or better yet, close your eyes and try to guess.

Im curious to see what my results will be. Jasmine glanced at the printed page Amanda had prepared. Would you mind signing this before we start? I know that its probably worthless, but I will still feel better having a signed document from you.

No problem. Amanda whipped out the tiny pen shed stashed in the pocket of her leggings just for that purpose and signed the page. I dont even know your last name, so I really cant sell the information to anyone.

Jasmine cast her an amused look. Kevin had my passport in his hands. Im sure he took a peek.

Probably, Amanda admitted. But I promise you that you have nothing to fear from me or any of us. We are not in cahoots with the government or anyone else.

Jasmine let out a breath. Im too curious to keep objecting. Lets start with me closing my eyes while guessing which card you are looking at.

Good idea. Amanda cast a sidelong glance at Syssi. Your job is to write down the results. She handed her the pen and a clean page.

When Jasmine closed her eyes, Amanda pulled out a random card from the pack. It was the four of spades.

What card am I looking at? she asked in her best neutral tone.

Jasmines forehead furrowed. Its a numbers card, and its black, which means that its either spades or clubs, but I cant guess the number.

Thats very good. Its four of spades. Amanda put the card on the table. For some reason, colors are easier to guess, and not just in the case of cards where there are only two. Perhaps they make a bigger impression on our brains.

Jasmine opened her eyes. Do you want to repeat the test the same way, or do you want to try it while my eyes are open, and you are with your back to me?

Lets try it a few more times this way.

Jasmine guessed the color of the next two cards correctly, but she said that one of them was a face card when it was another number card, and she was completely off for the next five.

I guess I dont have precognition talent. She shrugged. Oh, well. I told you thats not the reason Im good at card games.

Its not unusual for the results to diminish after several tries, Syssi said. Normally, I start guessing wrong after ten correct guesses. Its like the brain becomes tired.

Amanda nodded. We have observed that happening with all our test subjects that had some talent. You can improve with practice and keep guessing accurately for longer, but eventually, you will start guessing wrong.

Jasmine pursed her lips. You are the expert, so I have to take your word for it. Do you want to try the other methods?

Not yet. I want you to rest. But we can test other abilities that require different mental muscles. This time, I will think about an object, and you will try to guess what it is.

Do I need to close my eyes?

No. I want you to look into mine and try to catch what Im thinking. Its going to be an object, but it can be anything from a lemon to a spaceship. Ready?

Jasmine nodded.

Amanda thought of a red rose, which was easy to visualize, and those with even weak telepathic ability could sense the bold color.

What am I thinking of?

Jasmine scrunched her nose. A flower.

Good. What kind of flower?

I dont know.

What color is the flower?

Jasmine closed one eye and pursed her lips. White?

No. Amanda was disappointed. It was a red rose.

Damn. Jasmine grimaced. I was close.

What made you think that it was a flower? Syssi asked.

Jasmine smirked. Amandas nostrils flared a little like she was imagining smelling something, and I knew it was something good because her eyes widened a tiny bit, and her forehead remained smooth.

Those are exceptional observational skills. Syssi looked at Amanda. True?

Indeed. Its not a paranormal talent, but its a useful one. Can you tell when people are lying?

Jasmine huffed out a laugh. If I could, would I have believed Alberto when he told me that he loved me? But you are right. If I knew for a fact when people lied, I could learn the tells. My observational skills are good because of my acting background. Mimicking behavior is a very important aspect of acting, so I trained myself to pay attention to body language and facial expressions.

Syssi tilted her head. Were you good at poker before you studied acting?

I joined the drama program in middle school, and I didnt play poker back then, so I dont know how good I would have been at poker without the training that started in that program.

Amanda had a strong urge to delve into Jasmines head and find out if she was telling the truth.

She didnt emit any scents that would indicate it, but it was possible that she was a method actress, capable of convincing herself that she was telling the truth.

Lets try another object. Amanda thought of a chair. A simple wooden chair that didnt evoke any emotions in her. Well? she asked.

Jasmine lifted her hands in surrender. No clue. You must have thought about something very mundane and boring.

Thats correct. I thought of a chair.

Does that count as a good guess? Syssi asked.

Its not a paranormally good guess, but its not bad. With proper training, Jasmine could become an excellent interrogator.

The woman recoiled. No way. I would never do something like that.

Why not? Amanda asked.

I dont want to deal with the ugly underbelly of society. I want to be surrounded by pretty things and good people.

Amanda snorted. Then youve chosen the wrong profession. The movie industry is a nest of vipers.

I know. Jasmine sighed. When I started acting in middle school, it was great because everyone in the acting club was like me. It was the first time I felt comfortable in my own skin. No one thought that I was overdramatic or that I was an attention seeker. She chuckled. Well, I was, but so was everyone else in the club. Actors like attention. Anyway, it got even better in high school, but then the real world was a different story. Instead of well-meaning drama teachers, I was suddenly dealing with people who thought they could exploit my ambition to get me to do things I would never do otherwise, and I realized how naive I was when I dreamt of a career on the big or small screen. Still, I love acting too much to do anything else. I might be only getting small parts and playing in commercials, but its better than nothing.