“You really dug your own grave,” he mutters. “And I’m going to bury you in it.” “Say that louder,” I tell him, under my breath. “I dare you.”

“She tapped her chest. “No, I’m not a freak, okay, so could you stop pressuring me.”Rafael muttered something under his breath, throwing up his hands in surrender. “So what am I? What’s Karhl, Jayani, my brother, and all the BaSatai? Are we all freaks? Justbecause this human has some kind of fascination with labeling you, you believe in it. Be your own person, Armani, not what someone else says you are.”

“Pooh hater,' I muttered under my breath.'Winnie-the-Pooh was not a koala--why am I even arguing about this with you?”

“Say my name and his in the same breath. I dare you to say they taste the same.”

“Asscrown," I muttered under my breath as I headed to my next class. I wasn't proud of swearing at a complete stranger, no. but he started it.Noah matched my pace. "Don't you mean 'assclown'?" He looked amused."No," I said, louder this time. "I mean asscrown. The crown on top of the asshat that covers the asshole of the assclown. The very zenith in the hierarchy of asses," I said, as though I was reading from a dictionary of modern profanity."I guess you nailed me then.”

“His eyes lit up. "Oh, it's the Vanderbilts! They make these pumpkin and banana pancakes that are so good, they will make you want to slap your momma.""I already want to," I muttered under my breath."What's that?""Nothing. Let's go.”