“Phone service is back up and Devyn calls Issie, and then leaves to bring her over. Gram calls Mrs. Nix, the school secretary."She's a bear," Betty exclaims after she hangs up the phone. "I trust her."I don't even blink.”

“Mrs Nix smacks herself in the head again. If she keeps that up she'll bruise”

“I hang up. Actually, I smash the phone down because I take my anger out on inanimate objects. Which is better than taking it out on people, right?”

“Issie?“After a second her voice comes out small and tired. “I'm not here.““Oh.“ I back up so I can stare at the bathroom door. No feet. “Then I should probably freak out because the toilet is talking back to me, huh? A little too many pain meds for Zara today.”

“Oh my God! Issie's a bunny, isn't she? Do they have those? Do they have werebunnies?""Big leap there,Zare." Nick cracks up. He shakes with laughter.I pout. "She'd be a good bunny.""True.But it's not her.It's Devyn.""Devyn? Devyn is cute and normal."He scrapes at the bottom of the hash pan. His voice comes out dead calm. "He's an eagle.""Oh.Okay.I am not going to freak out about this, but let me say that I am surprised.""Because he's in a wheelchair?""No! Because he's a bird.”

“the PE teachers are into strudel," Issie says. '"I'm not sure why. It's so gooey." Gooey is good," Nick says. "Seriously?" I ask him. "You like strudel.""I like a lot of things that aren't good for me." He smiles slowly at me. My mouth must be hanging open because he starts laughing. "You made her blush!" Issie says. "Don't blush, Zara. He's just teasing.”

“I stare up at Nick. "You're late.".... "I had things to take care of," he says, all growly, looking away from me and staring Ian down. They do the whole I'm alpha - No, I'm alpha thing, with the staring and pulling the shoulders back and posturing.Devyn whispers to Issie, loud enough for us to hear. "They're so sad sometimes."She whispers back, "I know.”