“It's like she looks at me and only sees what she wants to see. My father looks at me and sees only what he wants me to be.”

“Come here, Cal," she says real gentle, and I come close. Read me something."I open up the book I'm holding, a new one brought this very day. Just chicken scratch, I used to figure, but now I see what's truly there, and I read a little out.That's gift enough," she says, and smiles so big, it makes me smile right back.”

“That's my problem. I just have to do the opposite of what I'm told.”

“Sometimes you don't know you'll miss a place until you're gone.”

“Exactly. And what about you, Calliope...is everyone in your family named after a...what is it? A keyboard? An organ?"It's a steam-powered piano. It's also the name of the Greek goddess of poetry. You should read stuff other than chemistry; you'd know these things." Her smirky smile again, her sleeve touching my arm.I feel like my skin has been removed, every nerve exposed. I open my mouth, and this is what comes out: "I think you are more goddess than piano." Stupid, stupid.But she laughs. "You know, that's the nicest thing anyone's said to me today."You don't see too many calliopes," I tell herI'm Cal, actually. I mean, that's what I prefer."I meant the steam pianos...you don't see too many." She stops and looks at me, full-on, and right away I put it on the list of the best moments in my life.Until you said that, Eliot, I wasn't fully aware of the demise of the steam piano, so thank you. Really."I smirk at her and we both fight not to smile. "Okay, smart-ass," I say.Callipe and Eliot-Scrambeled Eggs at Midnight”

“I don't want you to see only a tiger when you look at me. I want you to see me. The man.”

“The boy was a trained actor, letting me see only what he wanted me to.”