“We got it." Val grinned and lifted her fist. "Wonder twin powers activate!" Ruth grinned back, knocking her fist into Val's. "Shape of two fucking lunatics.”

“If life were like a video game, she would have used her power move to whip Jen in the air and knock her against the wall with two strikes of a lacrosse stick. Of course, if life really were like a video game, Val would probably have to do that in a bikini and with giant breasts, each one made of separately animated polygons.”

“If we have to be cat burglars, I'm going to see what' to steal in the fridge."We're trying to find evidence she's the poisoner. Just a thought before you start putting random things in your mouth." Ruth shrugged and walked past Val.”

“She is crazy. Head to head with an ogre. Loony Lolli, Sketchy Dave, Crazy Val. You're all a bunch of freaks."Val made a formal bow, dipping her head in their direction, and then sat on the blanket.Loony Luis, more likely," Lolli said, kicking her flip-flop in his direction.Luis One-Eye," Dave said.Luis smirked. "Bug-head Dave."Princess Luis," Dave said. "Prince Valiant."Val laughed, thinking of the first time Dave had called her that. "How about Dreaded Dave?"Luis leaned over, grabbing his brother in a headlock, both of them rolling on the cloth, and said, "How about Baby Brother? Baby Brother Dave?"Hey," Lolli said. "What about me? I want to be a princess like Luis.”

“I'm afraid that whatever I touch is spoilt by the contact.""I'm not scared of being spoiled," Val said.”

“Great. Lookout. I'm a lookout. Another thing to put on my college applications. What do I do if I see someone?"Val looked back. "I'm not sure, actually.”

“As Val jumped down onto the litter-strewn concrete after them, she thought how insane it was to follow two people she didn't know into the bowels of the subway, but instead of being afraid, she felt glad. She would make all her own decisions now, even if they were ruinous ones. It was the same pleasurable feeling as tearing a piece of paper into tiny, tiny pieces.”