“It was scary having that sort of power over a girl. You could hurt her in ways you might never understand.”

“Even in all that darkness I could see her beauty. Still, I couldn't claim it for myself. Instead, I decided to hurt her."You loved someone," I said, "who was completely inappropriate.”

“That night on the Swan we'd promised each other that we'd have some sort of romance. Something unprecedented. "We don't have to be like other people," she'd said, and I'd believed her.”

“In the weeks between my father's visit and Cal's death, I hurt my friend in ways that frightened me.”

“How strange and rare it was to see the top of a girl's ear. I reached out to touch her, but my hand flew back from a spark of static electricity.”

“To be with someone who is stronger than you. To have him relinquish his strength.”

“It's a silly thing, but I like to understand people through their obsessions.”