“Dizziness?""No.""Nausea? Vomiting? Diarrhea?""No, no, and yuck," I said. "Dr. G, can I please be excused?""Not yet. How many fingers am I holding up?""Eleven.""Amelie."I scowled. (...) "Sir, I'm fine. Just let me go to class. Please?"Gunderman unhooked the blood pressure cuff from my arm and looked at me like I'd asked to borrow his credit card. "Young the lady, the fact you want to go to class gives me definite cause for concern.”

“What have you done?""Sir," Jack held up his hands in surrender. "I know how this looks. You have every right to be upset.""Upset?" he fumed. "Do I look upset to you?""You look upset to me," I noted.”

“Something simple-minded and morally vacuous? A hamster, perhaps? Maybe Veronica?""Excuse me!" Veronica griped form the back table."Those are gerbils, Mr. Charbonnet, not hamsters. And I'd thank you to minimise the insulting commentary.""My apologies, sir." Alec nodded. "The gerbil is a noble beast. I shouldn't have compared it to Veronica.”

“Y'all probably watched a lot of television.""We didn't have TV.""Nintendo, then?"He shook his head."Fantasy football? Xbox?" I frowned. "Please tell me you had Angry Birds.""We had a library," he said, "and a few educational magazines.""Huh. Well, that's just tragic.”

“You can't deny we work well together. I could be your sidekick, if you want. Like Superman and Lois Lane. Or Peter Pan and Tinker Bell.""Tinker Bell isn't menacing.""Which proves how much you need me," I insisted. "Fairies are terrifying."He sat up straighter and dusted off his pants. "Fairies don't exist. Neither do Graymasons.""That's what humans say about vampires and werewolves," I argued. "So we're agreed.”

“Plus, I can't look at him the same since I ran into Mrs. Marino at our family reunion. It's not comforting to learn you've made out with your cousin.""Third cousin once removed," I argued. "It's hardly incest.""Life is like a box of chocolates, Lisa," Katie noted around a half-chewed carrot stick. "You never know what you're going to get."Lisa narrowed her eyes, confused. "Did she just quote Forrest Gump at me?""It's Matt's fault," I said. "She lost a bet and now anytime his name gets mentioned, she has sixty seconds to drop a relevant movie quote.""That's insane.""Yup," Katie piped in, "insanity tuns in my family. Its practically gallops.""Classic." I high-fived her.”

“You were just too nice to tell me to buzz off.""I did tell you to buzz off," he pointed out. "Several times.""I'm not the best with feedback.”