"Sixteen," I said, feeling a bit shy. "It's okay, I've been doing this for a . . . awhile." I stared up at him, then let out a weak, shaky sigh. It felt so good to not be the only one to know I could do this. I wanted to tell Miles, but I was positive he wouldn't understand. He was so normal! He didn't need my stupid baggage, right?

"I really shouldn't have let you find out," I said. "But . . . I think part of me really wanted you to know. Or, maybe not you, exactly, but someone else. Someone besides just me. My friends . . . the people I do this with, the people I fight with . . . they're not here. They're all back home."