“Mr. Merrick, I'd like to speak with you."Mr. Merrick. He hated when teachers called him that, like he was an old man stopping by to learn a few math tricks.”

“You do his homework?""Just the math. It's a miracle he can count to ten.""I can count to one." Gabriel gave him the finger.Chris sighed.”

“If you want me to fix your homework, you need to leave me alone.” Then he spotted her. “You’re back.”“Yeah.” She glanced between him and Gabriel. “You do his homework?”“Just the math. It’s a miracle he can count to ten.”“I can count to one.” Gabriel gave him the finger.”

“His expression changed, and he took a step back. He looked away. "When you said it was broken, you were just being-""No! It is. My phone. Broken." Now she sounded like Yoda on crack.”

“Nick smiled. “I kind of like the irony.”“Jesus, you are such a nerd.” Gabriel flung the lighter at him. “Stop using big words.”“Five letters is a big word?”

“Adam's thumb tapped against his neck. "Your heart is racing."No kidding.Nick turned his head away and took the ice bag. He set it on the table and had to look into his coffee mug again."Sorry," said Adam. "I know there's no point in pushing your buttons. You're just so adorable when you blush like that." Then he was grinning. "Or like that.”

“Rewriting a peace treaty," he said. "Semester project."Talk about a thrill-a-minute. "Why are we moving the desks?"He snorted. "Who the hell knows. He probably read about this in a teachers' magazine.”