It would’ve been easy to feel like a fifth wheel here, but instead, I was pleased and content to see my little cohort getting along so well. Stanton’s conversation had still left me conflicted, but there was nothing wrong with appreciating the peace around here. I would’ve been happier still if Trey’s behavior had also normalized, but when I reached my history class later, he was absent yet again. I had no doubt he’d claim he had family stuff, but my earlier suspicions were returning, about whether his family might be responsible for his injuries. Should I report my worries to someone? Who? I didn’t want to jump to conclusions either, which left me in a bind.

Eddie and I always sat near each other in that class, and I leaned toward him before the bell rang, pitching my voice low to address another concern. “Hey, have you noticed that Jill’s been kind of acting weirdly around me?”

“She’s got a lot going on,” he said, ever quick to defend her.

“Yeah, I know, but you had to have noticed her last night. In the library? I mean—keeping in mind I’m terrible at figuring this stuff out—it was like she had a crush on me or something.”

He laughed at that. “She was kind of laying it on thick, but I don’t think you have to worry about some romantic complication. She just looks up to you a lot, that’s all. Part of her still wants to be a brave fighter who rushes out fearlessly…” He paused as he savored that idea, a mix of pride and rapture on his face before he tuned back into me. “But at the same time, you’re starting to show her there all sorts of ways to be powerful.”

“Thanks,” I said. “I think. But speaking of her being a brave fighter…” I studied him curiously. “Why don’t you train her anymore? Don’t you want her to hone her skills?”

“Oh, yeah. That. Well… there are a few reasons for it. One is I need to focus on Angeline. Another is that I just don’t want Jill worried about that. I’ll do the protecting.” Those were exactly the reasons I’d guessed. The next one was not. “And I guess… the other thing is that I don’t feel right being in contact with her like that. I mean, I know it means nothing to her… but it means something to me.”

Again, my social skills took a moment to kick in. “You mean, you don’t like that you have to touch her?”

Eddie actually blushed. “It doesn’t bother me, that’s the problem. Better for us to spend time together in a hands-off way.”

I hadn’t expected that, but I could understand it. Leaving Eddie to his own inner demons, I soon got caught up in the day and wondering what had happened to Trey. I’d hoped he’d come into class late, but he didn’t. In fact, he didn’t surface for the rest of the day, not even when I was finishing up my independent study. I’d thought he might come by again for homework.