“I guess not,” I say blankly. But I do mind. I know in my heart of hearts that I don’t want to be talking to this guy any longer. And I definitely don’t want him talking to Caleb. But the words leap from my mouth before I have time to decide on the shape of them.

“What’s your name, kid?” Shady Guy asks. It squeezes us uncomfortably, my body pressing into the hard metal armrest at the end. Shady Guy drapes his arm casually over the back of the bench and I watch it happen with detached curiosity. It doesn’t bother me. Why doesn’t it bother me?

“Caleb.”

“Nice to meet you, Caleb. I’m Damien,” Shady Guy—Damien—says. “And you are?” He leans around Caleb to look at me.

“Adam,” I say, my voice sounding small.

“Are you a patient of Dr. B.’s as well, Adam?”

“No.”

“Ah, okay. Shame.” He grimaces. “So, Caleb, what do you do?”

“Um … go to high school?” Caleb answers, a blank look coming over his face.

“No”—Damien rolls his eyes, exasperated—“I mean, what’s your ability? I assume you’re an Atypical. Dr. B. doesn’t have any normal patients as far as I know.”

“I’m an empath,” Caleb says, like that’s not the biggest secret he has. I want to speak up, grab Caleb’s hand and get up and leave, but the more immediate part of me wants to stay, see where this goes. Now that he’s sitting with us, Damien doesn’t seem so bad.

“Huh.” Damien looks thoughtful, his mouth twisting like a scar in the middle of his face. “That means you feel the emotions of other people, right?”

“Basically.” Caleb shrugs.

“Ah,” Damien sighs. “That’s a bit of a disappointment.”

“I’m sorry,” Caleb says, and sincere and righteous anger flares up inside of me, cutting through the out-of-place contentment I’d been sitting in moments before.

“Wait,” I interrupt, “why are you apologizing to him?”

“I want him to like me,” Caleb says, like he’s in a trance.

“What?” I get that Caleb likes to be Mr. Popular, but this is ridiculous. Caleb is looking at Damien like he’s the greatest thing he’s seen all week, and suddenly I’m drowning in jealousy. I know I should say something, have a discussion with him about this, but … I want Damien to like me too.

What the hell is happening?

“Ooh, that’s an interesting turn of events.” Damien grins, settling into the bench, looking like the king of the world. He’s actually not as awkward and odd-looking as he first appeared. There’s something attractive about him, something seductive—

“Damien?”