Page 78 of Should Our Stars Collide

“So, how do you get back to your time?” Ellis is the first to ask.

“Beats me.”

“Isn’t it obvious? There’s a lesson here he needs to learn,” Gabe says, like it’s the logical conclusion.

Ellis strokes his hair, giving him a soft, patient smile. “You read too many fantasy books, babe.”

“What lesson?” Kieran asks, despite a nagging feeling that he’s not gonna like the answer.

“Oh, I know. I know!” Zeke slaps the table, then spreads his arms and theatrically announces, “You need to let yourself be loved!”

Kieran stares into the distance, feeling his life force drain out of him. “I’m gonna be stuck here forever.”

“Oh, come on!”

“Leave him alone,” Ellis reprimands him. “Ifthat’s the case, it’s not as easy as it sounds.”

Alright, it’s official. Ellis is Kieran’s new best friend. No further applications will be accepted.

“Okay, enough of this,” Kieran decides, nodding at Gabe. “Your turn.”

“Um…maybe we should have Cal and Dawson over for this too.”

“Nope. I’m done being the only one in the dark.”

Gabe gnaws at his lip. “Okay. I will precede this by saying: you just time-traveled into your future, and it turns out our friend is an actual witch.”

“He isnotmy friend.”

“What?” Zeke gasps, giving him a kicked puppy look.

“What I mean is,” Gabe carries on. “Keep an open mind.”

“I’m not gonna like this, am I?”

Gabe’s wince answers that for him.

“Let’s start with the easy stuff.” Which is apparently a categorynow. “So…I can feel people’s emotions. Like,reallyfeel them. And if I put my mind to it, I can even influence them. To a degree.”

Kieran stares at him. Then at Ellis, at Zeke. Then Ash. Four nearly identical, tense expressions. No one’s laughing.

“Open mind, open mind, open mind,” he chants, breathing deeply. He needs to look at the facts.

One: Supernatural stuff is apparently real.

Two: Gabe has always been too empathetic for someone who works in customer service.

Three: Kieran can’t think of a reason anyone would lie about this, unless they’re suffering from a mental illness or playing an elaborate joke.

“Okay,” he says. “You have proof?”

“That’s my boy,” Ash says approvingly, as if Kieran passed a test. So annoying. And why the fuck does Kieran feel proud?

“Can I touch you?” Gabe asks, sliding his hand forward. Waiting.

“Go for it.”

Not sure what that’s gonna do?—