“I can deal,” he said. “And I have to. I want this. I don’t want to end—”

He stopped himself.

“You don’t want to end what?” Kenzie asked, quiet.

“I don’t want to end up like some of them, I guess,” he said. “They can be so cool, but…”

“You might have better role models if you joined the heroes,” Kenzie said. “Wink wink.”

She made exaggerated winks as she said the words.

“I’m loyal,” he said. “The Undersiders are badass, and the Heartbroken, like these two are—”

He looked at Candy, then at Darlene. Seeing Darlene chewing on her thumbnail, he took her hand away from her mouth and gripped it tight.

“—some of my favorite people.”

Darlene squeezed his hand.

“Darn,” Kenzie said.

“Is it weird if I say I love Tattletale and Imp and I don’t want to end up like them?”

“No,” Kenzie said.

“You were complaining about your hair,” Candy said. “Do you want me to fix yours up?”

“Please.”

“I can’t promise I’ll be very good with hair like yours. I won’t cut anything.”

While the two girls fussed, Aiden looked over at Darlene. He nudged her.

“What?” Now she sounded irritated.

“All you girls are good at different stuff. You’re really good with makeup and all that. Candy takes really good care of her hair and skin—”

“Skin,” Candy said. She turned to Kenzie, stabbing a finger in her direction. “Moisturizer?”

“Pretty please.”

He could see her agonizing over it.

“Fine,” Darlene said. “Okay.”

She got her bag out and began digging stuff out.

It felt a little weird, being in on this scene. It was girly. Still, Kenzie seemed happy, and she’d been upset before.

He backed up. Off to the side, he saw Amias sitting in the hall at Rome—Roman’s feet. Roman and Precipice seemed to be half-listening in and half-chatting.

“It’s a cool necklace,” Darlene said, as she moved his handmade necklace from Kenzie’s lap to the side table.

“You like it?” Aiden asked, surprised.

“It’s cool.”

“It’s a thing I made out of nowhere. I didn’t think you’d like it, since you’re always paying so much attention to the clothes you wear.”

Darlene shrugged and nodded. She seemed relieved, at least?

“She’s paying attention for reasons,” Candy said.

Darlene answered the statement with a death glare.

Between them, Kenzie looked left, then right, then left again, not moving her head or body much.

“Don’t worry, Kenzie,” Aiden said. “I’m as confused as you are.”

“I’m not confused. I really do like it, and I’m glad other people do too. I get being jealous.”

Darlene dropped one of the makeup things.

“Oh, whoops, foot in mouth,” Kenzie said. “Can I blame the pain drugs?”

“No,” Darlene said.

“You can blame the drugs,” Candy said, giving Kenzie’s lap a pat.

Jealous? Oh.