“Maybe you're not doing it right""I wasn't aware there was a technique to tree hugging.”
“Maybe you're going insane.""Maybe," agreed Kernel."I was joking.""I wasn't.”
“You're just the right size for hugging.”
“There's no such thing as a minor lapse of awareness. You're either present with what is--right here, right now--or you're someplace else.”
“Better?" I went from holding her hand to hugging her. "Lindy, you loved me when I wasn't even human.You kissed me when I had no lips. You saw what was deep down inside me when I wasn't even sureabout it myself. Believe me, there's no way I could do better. I think you're perfect.”
“Of course you don't believe in fairies. You're fifteen. You think I believed in fairies at fifteen? Took me until I was at least a hundred and forty. Hundred and fifty, maybe. Anyway, he wasn't a fairy. He was a librarian. All right?”