That's what everyone wants to know, and it's sort of nice having someone just ask her plainly instead of trying to sneak answers out of her. But she doesn't have answers; that's the problem.

So she shrugs again. "He doesn't hurt me," she says, putting some emphasis on 'he.' "He tries to protect me, sometimes." He's just bad at it, going overboard defending her from a bully and doing nothing when the monsters come for her.

Aiden drifts up and to the side, beginning to suspect that this guy really can see him. He doesn't want to stray too far from Jodie, but he does want to see if Gabriel starts glancing up toward him.