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Nick bristled. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“He took it the wrong way,” Jazz whispered to Gibby.

Gibby ignored her. “It means you get an idea in your head, and then run with it full tilt before getting distracted by something else entirely. It’s not a bad thing. It’s just part of who you are.”

He knew she wasn’t being mean. He knew she wasn’t trying to hurt him. Heknew. But Dad’s voice was still ringing in his ears from their fight that morning, and it almost sounded like Gibby was echoing what he had said. And that wasn’t fair. “I can do things,” Nick snapped at her.

She held up her hands. “Whoa, I never said you couldn’t. I’m just saying—”

“I can do anything I put my mind to.”

“I know—”

“I don’t like it when you tell me that I can’t. I don’t like it when people think I’m not capable of doing things. Because Iam. I know I talk a lot, and I know my brain makes me do or say things that people don’t always get, but that doesn’t make the things I want any less important.”

Jazz and Gibby both looked taken aback. “I’m… sorry?” Gibby said. “I didn’t mean anything bad by it. It’s—”

Jazz wasn’t exactly subtle with the elbow she thrust into Gibby’s side. “You okay, Nick? You seem a little off today. More growly than usual.” She bared her teeth at Nick and made her hands into claws. “Grr.”

Nick wished Seth were here. Even if he’d kissed Nick on the cheek and confused the hell out of him, Seth would know what to say to make things better. Sometimes, when Nick got so frustrated he didn’t know how to form words, Seth would step in and speak for him and make things all right again. That was his superpower. The Nick Whisperer. Of all the days for Seth to be sick. “I’m fine,” Nick said, mustering up a smile that stretched too thin. “I’m just tired.”

Jazz frowned at him. “You need to take care of yourself.”

“I’m trying.” He looked at Gibby. And because he knew she wasn’t the type to back down, she met his gaze. “I can do this,” he told her. “You don’t have to help me if you don’t want to. And that’s okay. But I can be more than I am. I can become something better. Something more.”

She looked troubled. “Why do you have to be an Extraordinary to be better? Why can’t you just be extraordinary with what you already have?”

Nick didn’t want to hear it. Gibby didn’t understand. “Let me have this, okay? I don’t ask you for much, but I’m asking you for this.”

She nodded, though she didn’t look happy about it. “Sure, Nicky. Yeah. Of course. I mean, anything you want, you know? I’ve got your back.”

“Good,” he said. “Because Phrase Three is going to start soon, and I know it’s going to work. It has to. I’m going to become something unlike anything Nova City has ever seen.”

And if he proved everyone wrong in the process?

Well, that would be just fine.

He was walking to class when he pulled his phone out of his pocket. There were messages from Jazz and Gibby from that morning, asking where he was, if he was running late. There was a messagefrom Seth in their group thread, saying he was sick. Jazz and Gibby had told him to feel better.

Dad hadn’t texted again. That stung, but Nick pushed it away.

He pulled up the text thread he had with Seth.

U sick?

The response came almost immediately.Yeah. Nothing bad. Just a cold. You okay? Gibby & Jazz said you didn’t show this morning.

Fine. Just early. U sure its not feral cat disease?

What? What are you talking about? What cats?

The ones u went to help yesterday w the flooding.Nick almost addedafter you kissed my cheek,but didn’t. One thing at a time.

No, Nick. It’s not a feral cat disease.

Thank Jebus. U can’t die.

I won’t. No need to come over. I’ll see you tomorrow.

Class. Later!

No need to come over?That was certainly an invitation if Nick had ever heard one.