“How do I look?”She was wearing a pair of tiny jean shorts and a bright pink T-shirt. Her blond hair was matted on one side and there were dirt smudges all over her arms, legs, and face.Gabriel hesitated. “Like a Barbie doll that got run over by a garbage truck.”“Wow. Really, Gabriel?”

“And why is Heather wearing pink? Come on, people."Heather rolled her eyes and disappeared back inside the tent, reappearing a minute later with a dark gray T-shirt on."Better?" She cocked her head at tristan."Yes. You've just extended your life by at least an hour.”

“Raven made a face at the blood that now stained her fingertips. She wiped her hand on his jeans until the blood was all gone.Gabriel watched her with narrowed eyes and said, "You look old."Heather's mouth fell open.Good God. Don't anger the crazy lady.Raven slapped him, hard. "That's what happens when your supply of fountain water starts to run out and you have to dilute it. You age. Magic can only do so much.""Sucks to be you," Gabriel said.Clearly, he did not value his life.”

“The curse had not tainted her, had not made her a tortured soul like Tristan, or a hopeless romantic like Gabriel, or a lonely heart like Nate. Heather still had a chance at being bright.”

“I don’t think so, dude. Gabriel would kill me. And then Scarlet would kill me. And they could just keep on killing me over and over again because I don’t ever die. Do you know how much that would suck?”

“You know what I need to do?""Buy earrings?""I need to fully embed myself in Gabriel's life. I need to get to know the real Gabriel Archer.""You need to buy new earrings," Heather said.Scarlet ignored Heather and went on."No more excuses. The time has come. Today, I am going over to Gabriel's house after school.""Good for you. Now let's talk about shoes." Heather put her magazine down. "They suck.”

“Well, where's the hussy now? Is she in Avalon? Does she live in New York? Is she allergic to strawberries? Because I will send her a gift basket that'll make her wish she'd never laid eyes on Gabriel's deceitful-albeit delicious-body!”