“Books are the reality you get to choose; life is the reality you hide from inside a book.”

“No one stays the same, David. Everything you are is a direct result of something that's affected you in your past, whether it was horrible or wonderful -- no one has the right to destroy themselves because they can't deal with the pain. You have to learn from it. It's not over--the good in your life--it's not over until your dead.”

“Who would I kill?” I asked, sitting up from him, wiping my face.“Who?”“Yeah, I mean, is it random, or do you choose them?”“Well.” He grinned and picked an ant off the rug, then tossed it onto the grass. “I usually avoid eating comedians as much as possible.”“Why?” I asked slowly.“Because they taste funny.” His brows rose. I imagined a tumbleweed rolling past as I listened for crickets. “That wasn't funny.”

“So, what were you about to do that day, then? Float away or something?”“No.” He looked up from the ground and smiled. “I was about to lift you in my arms and run, vampire speed, to the closet room under the auditorium stage.”“You would not,” I said, my tone ringing in question.“Ara—” he raised one brow, “I'm a guy. Not a saint.”

“I know you like me, Ara. You don't have to pretend, just because you think it's improper to fall for someone at first sight.” His eyes lit up, shimmering green like a glass marble held up to the sun. “I can see that you feel the same way I do.”Oh, my God! Is this the point where I can jump off the swing and fall into his waiting arms? No. Don't do that. Don't read into it too much. I looked away from his gleaming, white-toothed grin, and clutched the ropes of the swing tighter.”

“Don't pretend you don't like it when I treat you as a lady.”“Maybe I don't.”Despite that, he still opened the car door for me, with his lips curving up into a careless grin. “Girls always do that,” he said, “—pretend they think you're taking their independence from them if you open a door. But that's not the case.”“Well, what is the case?” I sat down on the front seat—leaving my feet on the driveway.“Simply that we're demonstrating good-breeding; showing the girl we're worthy and capable of taking care of her—that we're polite, considerate and nurturing.”I folded my arms. “Women don't need nurturing—or to be taken care of. We can fend for ourselves. We're equal to men, you know.”

“Then, I guess, I can only hope that you will change your mind. But I will love you, without a doubt, for all eternity.”