“He kept talking and I thought about taking my copy of Huckleberry Finn and stuffing it in his mouth so he'd shut up.”

“My father looked like he was having a stroke— notthat Mel seemed to notice because he just kept talking.“Patrick needs a ride. No car, you know, and so I figured,hey, I can pick up some gas money.” He laughed. No oneelse did, and now Patrick looked like he was trying topush himself inside the door and hide.”

“Are you reading?" I say. It's not that I don't think Finn can read or anything, but it's just - well, not what I expected to see. I figured Finn spent his time doing whatever it is guys who aren't Josh do when they aren't in school. Burping, or something."Try not to look so surprised," Finn says. "I read. I can count to ten. Sometimes I can even spell my own name.”

“He's looking at me as if the whole world waits for my next breath, with an intensity that makes my heart pound and my palms sweat and then he smiles, a sweet curve of his mouth, and my breath catches, but then I freeze because there is something about it, something beyond it that I know, that makes my mind go blank with fear and pain.”

“I told you we were meant to be,'he says, still smiling, still so Finn, who was always here but I who I just didn't see, and now- Well, now I kiss him. And just for the record, it's totally worth the tardy slip I end up getting.”

“Josh pulls me aside."Hey, About before, I just... I wanted to say ... well, I think you're pretty special." He says, kind of stumbling over the words a little. Like he's hesitant to say them, now i wish he'd hug me again. And then kiss me.But he doesn't. He just waves and walks off.I sigh."Hannah, I just... I want you to know if I pause alot when I tell you how special you are I want you to think that I'm... very... very... deep," Finn says”

“I told you we were meant to be," he says, still smiling, still so Finn, who was always here but who I just didn't see and now--Well, now I kiss him.”