“When we got close to the door, I moved him to the side, so we couldn't be seen from the window, and I pulled him towards me by his shirt.”

“Meanwhile, Jess and I looked like we had rats burrowed in our hair and since we both fell asleep without taking off our makeup, we had racoon eyes to go with it - not exactly beauty queens.”

“Oh, hi, Ben," I tried to sound casual, but my head started pounding, my palms started sweating, and the butterflies were doing Zumba in my stomach.”

“What... Are you on strike from wearing deodorant now too? You smell like a boy's locker room after a wrestling match!”

“You're Gideon's friend."I laughed. Gideon's friend, of course. "Only because his mother pays me to hang out with him.""Can she pay me?" Elspeth asked.Iris, moving into the room, rolled her eyes at her sister.”

“I glowered back up at him. "Did you need something?"He didn't move. "Where are you going?""To plot your downfall," I snapped. I bent to retrieve my bag and then sneaked beneath his arm. It wasn't the most dignified exit, but it worked.”

“And still the light kept coming. It poured out of me, boundless and violent. But even as it swelled, it didn't leave me. I felt myself moving with it, a part of it, moving through earth and air, soaking up shadow. And I felt connected to everything. I felt the city, the motion of engines and tires and feet, of doors opening, of throats trembling with sound. I smelled soil and snow, grease, garbage, sweat, breath, heat. I felt the earth, and everything beneath and Beneath.”