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Nick blanched at that. “I don’t—”

“Is that your mom?”

Nick followed Owen’s gaze, mind reeling. The photograph on the nightstand. “Yeah. That’s… her. Look, Owen, I don’t know if—”

“She’s pretty. I’ve never seen a picture of her before. That must have been rough.”

Nick turned his head away. “It was.”

He felt Owen’s hand on top of his again. “I don’t know what you went through, then. I don’t know if anyone will. It’s… different. But I know what it feels like to lose people, Nick. And to never want that to happen again. You lie awake at night and think if only you’d been there. If only you had the power to do something to prevent it from happening. Or, at the very least, to keep something like it from happening again. To you. To others. I know what it’s like to want to never be scared again. To be able todosomething about it. And I could do that for you, if you’d let me.”

Nick stood abruptly. Owen’s hand fell back onto the bed. Suddenly, Nick didn’t know what he was doing, or how he’d let it get this far. He didn’t want Owen in his room or in his house. It felt too big, too much. “I can’t do that.”

Owen looked surprised. “What?”

Nick shook his head. “Look, I know you’re trying to help. Thank you. Maybe this whole thing was stupid. Me, trying to become an Extraordinary. It’s ridiculous, okay? I know that. Even if I wanted it to work, it was never going to.”

“But this could—”

“Owen, you’re talking about committing a crime against your dad. Which could lead to us getting arrested bymydad. Do you know how much trouble we could get into? How disappointed he would be in me? I can’t do that to him. I won’t. He’s already got enough going on, and I don’t want to make things worse.”

Owen bristled, his brow furrowing. “But it wouldn’t matter by then, would it? Because you would already be something more than you are now. He would have no choice but to see you for what you really are. Not some disordered kid who can’t keep his thoughts straight for a single second without—”

“That’s not fair,” Nick snapped at him.

Owen winced. “You’re right. I’m sorry. That was uncalled-for.”

“I did stupid crap and look where it’s gotten me. My dad’s pissed at me, I still have river mud in my ears, my best friend is acting weird, and I don’t know what to do about it. Shadow Star and Pyro Stormbothknow who I am, and I don’t know why. School has just started, and I’m already messing up. I can’t, okay?”

Owen stood stiffly. “I get it, Nicky. You want to keep on being the way you are—”

“No,” Nick retorted. “I don’t. I want to be someone my dad can be proud of.”

“Then why?”

“Because maybe I should try to do it on my own.”

Owen nodded. “Admirable. Foolish, probably. And slightly stupid. But admirable.” He winked at Nick, that wicked smile back on his face. “Don’t tell anyone what I’ve told you, okay? Our little secret.”

“I won’t,” Nick promised. “But you shouldn’t try to do anything either. I don’t want to see anything happen to you.”

“Aw, Nicky,” Owen said, reaching up and patting Nick on the cheek. “It’s sweet how much you care. If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

“I won’t,” Nick said firmly. “You should probably go. I can’t get into any more trouble.”

“Sure, Nick. I mean, if you want. Or, there’s an empty bed right here that we could roll around on—”

Nick shoved him toward his bedroom door.