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“Sure, I’ll see if I can stake out a spot on the grass. I know how you like to keep your tan nice and golden.” His eyes glint with mischief.

“I am pretty vain.” I head to the bathroom, which is beyond disgusting. The entire floor is wet, and wads of spitball spatter the ceiling. It smells about as bad as Miles’s fart-bomb attack.

I apply the sunscreen liberally, knowing how bad sunburn hurts even if I can’t see it. When I was little, I’d get it in hopes that it would burn off the invisibility. After the third time I got blisters the size of lemons on my shoulders, I gave up on that. I settled for the knowledge that there’s at least pigment underneath to burn.

I put it on in the bathroom because I tend to draw attention. For a moment the white coats my body like paint, and people try to catch a glimpse of what’s there. I imagine it’s the closest I could ever feel to naked. The sunscreen absorbs, and I’m left as a cute red-and-white polka-dot one-piece with a little skirt. I would love to wear a bikini, but I’ve learned that’s the best way to get accidentally pummeled in the water. The casino pool was a battlefield filled with kids hopped up on buffet desserts.

When I get back outside, I can’t find Miles. He couldn’t have picked up a girl that fast. Well, maybe he could. I push through a group of purple people, trying to get up to the hill for a better view. Still no sign of him.

Then I notice four boys with black hair who couldn’t be anyone but Bea’s brothers. I spot Bea right after, though I hardly recognize her with flat, wet hair. She totally pulls off the skimpy white bikini, which makes me a little jealous.

Miles is nowhere, so I head toward Bea. She spots me and waves. “Fiona! Wow, that suit is adorable!”

“Thanks.” Adorable is sad in comparison to her, but I guess I should take what I can get. “I didn’t realize you’d be here.”

“Oh yeah, we come here all the time. ’Cept Sundays—Mom would never let us break the Sabbath.” She points to her brothers, who are huddled around someone, as she talks.

“So you weren’t looking at our sister?” Joey says.

“Poor soul.” Bea sighs. “He just said hi to me, but that’s all it takes to get them going.”

“I … uh … yeah I was, but I didn’t mean …”

I know that voice.

“Wait! That’s my brother. Don’t hurt him!” I push through The Pack and take Miles by the hand. He lets out a relieved breath, probably one second from releasing some nasty smell. “I’m sure he just recognized Bea—I told him about the friends I made. That’s all.”

“I don’t know,” Carlos says, eyeing him. “He had that look. I know that look well.”

“Tell them you didn’t mean anything, Miles.”

“I just said hi.” He shrugs, and I hold in my groan. Of course he was hitting on her. “It’s not every day my sister makes friends, if you know what I mean.”

“Are you gonna be trouble?” Hector asks. It’s then I realize they think he’s in the O’Connell syndicate. Of course they think that—he’s related to me. I wish I could blame them, but I’m honestly glad they’re watching their backs.

“No. I’m basically disowned.” Miles releases a sweet cinnamon scent. “You think my dad has any use for a guy who can smell like a bakery?” He switches to a sticky-mango smell. “Or perhaps a fruit stand? Maybe if he owned a smoothie store.”

The guys try to restrain their smiles, but eventually they laugh. “Well, if you’re not gonna scandalize Trixy, I guess you can hang with us.” Joey holds out his hand.

“Deal.” Miles shakes it. “And you are?”

Bea points to each as she talks. “Joey, Tony, Hector, and Carlos, but you don’t need to remember their names—they all answer to ‘dumbass.’”

“Funny, funny. At least we don’t answer to ‘screaming banshee.’” Carlos ruffles her hair, and then runs when she tries to swat him.

We decide to play Marco Polo, and I never get tagged, even when Carlos opens his eyes just to go after me. Miles slips into the group easily, like he does with most people. All he has to do is flash a smile, drop a clever joke about his lame ability, and everyone seems to trust him. I might be jealous if he were anyone else.

Once the boys suggest racing laps, Bea groans. “You’re wearing me out. Fiona, let’s get a drink or something.”

“Sure.” I hate getting out of the pool, since the water sticks to my skin just enough to give me a glistening outline. People stare as I pass, and even Bea sneaks a few glances. I follow her to the small concession stand, and she buys me a grape slushie though I tell her she doesn’t have to. Then we lie on our towels and dry out in the sun.

“Miles is a cutie,” Bea says. “I almost wish my brothers hadn’t interrupted.”

I sigh. “He’s subtler than Carlos, but he’s still a total flirt.”

She laughs. “In the right way, though. Carlos has no filter at all.”

I’ve never talked about my brother like this, and I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feel about Bea eyeing him. She’s already tangled up in this enough. “So … where are Brady and Seth? I thought you guys were joined at the hip or something.”

She rolls her eyes. “Seth decided to gut their house and renovate it this summer. They work on it most of the weekend, unless Brady can talk Seth into taking breaks.”

I sip my slushie, confused. “You make it sound like Seth is in charge or something.”

Bea chews her lip. “They’re really private about their family. They wouldn’t want me to tell you.”

“Tell me what?”

She shakes her head. “Look, Seth does kind of run the show, but it’s not what you think. You can’t ask, okay? If you ask them, they’ll probably just freak out on you and run away. They’ll tell you when they trust you.”

“Okay …” I sip at my drink, surprised by Bea’s words. She makes it sound like something horrible. Sure, Seth acts like his life sucks, but I’ve never seen Brady without that adorable one-dimple smile. Except for yesterday when I asked him about Seth. It was like his whole being changed. He was avoiding something.

My mind runs through the possibilities. I have a feeling it’s about their dad, maybe just because mine sucks so much. But there are a lot of crap dads out there. “I really can’t ask?”

“Trust me, it’d be faster to wait. They like you. It’s only a matter of time.”

I sigh. “Fine.”

She rolls onto her back, I guess to even her perfect tan. “They’re meeting us at Taco Bell for dinner, if you and Miles want to come. We might mess around after that.”

I’m already so tired from swimming that I almost say no, but then a bird crosses the blue sky and I flinch. Better to be out than spend the evening with Graham. “Sure, I bet Miles would be all over it. He seems to like your brothers.”

“Yeah, weird. Most people can’t stand them. Of course, Miles is used to ultragifted people, huh. They must not be scary to him at all.”

“Nope.”

Miles’s laugh carries over all the pool noise. I’d know it anywhere. He’s having so much … fun. Sometimes I don’t understand how he can let go like that. He barely knows them, and they look like old friends. He knows Graham’s here, that the Navarros are at risk being with us, that there’s more going on than people are telling us. And yet you’d never guess he had a care in the world.

I wish I could be more like that. I want to put my problems in little boxes and only deal with them when I need to. I want to live like Miles.

I just don’t know if I can.

Dinner at Taco Bell is actually a who-can-eat-the-most-burritos contest. I’m starting to wonder where all the food is going, because it can’t be possible to hold eight burritos in your stomach and not puke. Yet Hector opens a ninth without hesitation.

“Your record is going down tonight, bro,” he says to Tony.

Tony just grabs another one. For a guy who supposedly knows every language in common use, he sure is quiet. He hasn’t said a word since I’ve met him, but he doesn’t look sulky like Seth. I figure everyone says plenty, so he doesn’t see the need. Maybe language is as dull to him as invisibility is to me. I like him for it.

Miles throws down his fifth burrito, half-eaten. “Dude, I don’t know how you do that. I’m out.”

“Wuss.” Bea licks her fingers, finishing off number six. Somehow she still looks good, even with hot sauce on her face.

“Oh, you’ll regret that, Trixy.” Miles takes another bite.

“We put off tiling the bathroom for this?” Seth grumbles.

Brady hands him a burrito from the pile in the middle of the table. “Loosen up. Sitting between you and Miss Tense Invisible Girl is giving me ulcers.”

“What?” I say. “I’m not tense!”

“Oh?” I swear his smile has some weird power to melt my insides. “You’ve barely said a word tonight. What’s up?”

I bite my lip. It’s sweet that he’s worried, but I can’t tell him what’s really bothering me. When Miles and I went to change clothes, Mom and Graham weren’t back from the supposed job hunt. I hate that I’m worried about her—she was asking for it—but I keep picturing her back in Las Vegas tied to a chair. “I’m just tired from swimming earlier, that’s all. And I’m trying to keep score on this riveting burrito competition.”

Brady laughs. “I’ll get you some more caffeine, then.”

Before I can protest, he takes my cup and makes Seth move so he can slide out. I watch him go, wondering how someone so kind could have any problems. And maybe I’m a little distracted by how much his muscles stretch out his shirt.

When he gets back, Seth doesn’t move; he just slides over so he’s next to me. Brady sits on the end like it doesn’t bother him, and I feel silly for thinking he sat next to me because he likes me. I’m reading way too much into everything, and yet I can’t stop myself. If anyone could deal with my invisibility, it’s him.

Brady slides my cup over. “Drink up.”

“Thanks.” I grab the soda, but miss the straw because Seth’s shoulder slams into mine, almost spilling the drink over the burrito pyramid. “Ow!”

“Sorry!” Brady says. “My bad.”

Seth rubs his arm, which is when I realize Brady probably bumped him too hard. Seth gives me the saddest, most sympathetic expression. I had no idea he even possessed the ability to look like that. “You okay, Fiona?”

“Yes.” My fingers go to my neck. It’s still sore from Graham, and the jostling made it worse.

“You sure?”

I pause, surprised by his concern. “Uh … yeah.”

“What?”

Maybe he didn’t notice he actually sounds nice for once. It could have been a fluke, and I probably shouldn’t point it out. He might never make that mistake again. “It’s nothing.”

He sighs, and I expect him to grumble about my answer. He doesn’t.

“Hey, Fiona, mark me down for another!” Carlos puffs out his chest. “I’m gonna break the record in your honor tonight.”

Seth scoffs. “You’ve never even gotten close.”

“I didn’t have my muse!” Carlos grabs another burrito and then blows me a kiss. “For you, baby.”

I’m not sure if I should gag or laugh, so this embarrassing half snort comes out instead. “I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.”

Everyone bursts into laughter, and even Seth manages a little grin. He finally unwraps his first burrito and eats. I take a deep breath, hoping he doesn’t bite my head off for talking to him. “Are you in for the contest?”

He shakes his head and takes another bite.

I sip my drink. I guess that was the end of that conversation. There’s something off with him tonight. This isn’t his usual negativity.

After Hector and Tony both finish their tenth, Seth clears his throat. “Would you hand me another one, please?”

He’s not exactly out of reach, but I’m so taken back by the softness in his voice that I comply.

“Thanks.” He glances at me, almost meeting my eyes. “Aren’t you going to eat?”

I bite my lip, wondering if this is some kind of joke. “I had a couple tacos before you guys got here. The burritos gross me out.”

“They are kind of gross.” He takes another bite.

I hold in my laugh. “Then why are you eating them?”

He shrugs, and it’s so chill I’m temporarily thrown off-balance. “I’m starving. Free food.”

“True.” I take another long sip of my drink, grateful for something to fill the awkward pauses with. What the hell is up with him? This is the first normal conversation I’ve had with Seth, and it’s so … well, normal. I glance at him, and for a second it seems like all the tension in his face is gone, just like Brady changed yesterday. I don’t understand, but it’s strange how they both have two completely different sides.

“Hey.” Miles snaps me out of my daze, but when I look up I realize he’s not talking to me. He’s looking at Bea and Brady, who’re whispering to each other. “You guys look like you’re plotting.”

Bea laughs, her Trixy grin firmly in place. “Oh, we are. We thought some night games were in order after dinner.”

“Night games?” I say.

Brady’s face lights up like a five-year-old about to tell a cool story. “Yeah, you go to a park after dark and play. I call you for my team.”

“Hey!” Carlos cries. “No fair! She has way too much advantage.”

“You’re the one with night vision!” Hector says.

“That doesn’t mean I can see past invisibility, stupid.”

They fight over whose team I’m on through the rest of dinner, then all the way to the park, and for a good ten minutes after that. I’m not sure whether to feel flattered or just exhausted. They’ll see my clothes, so I don’t know what the big deal is.

Bea groans. “Joey, just pick! If I hear any more of this I’ll make Fiona go home right now and keep her to myself.”

“We’ll play sardines, okay? Then no one can have Fiona,” Joey says. “Everyone happy with that?” They all agree. “Fiona, you get to hide; last one to find her has to do whatever she dares them to do.”

“Okay.” I smile at the possibilities, hoping Brady will find me first.

To add difficulty, I pull off my sheer peasant shirt, leaving just my black tank top and dark jeans. Off go my glasses and my shoes, too. Then I notice all the boys minus Miles gaping at me. “What?”

Carlos shakes his head, smiling slightly. “Invisibility doesn’t exempt you from our imaginations. You just took off half your clothes.”

Seth smacks his arm, but the others laugh. I’m confused. Did they find that … sexy? They can’t see anything. It’s not like I’m naked, yet they look at me like I’m some kind of supermodel.