“J.D. scoffed at this. “Please—as if I’m worried about anything Payton has to say. What’s she going to do, give me another one of her little pissed-off hair flips?” He flung imaginary long hair off his shoulders, exaggerating. “I’ll tell you, one of these days I’m going to grab her by that hair and . . .” He gestured as if throttling someone.Without breaking stride, he returned Tyler’s serve. The two smashed a few back and forth, concentrating on the game when—Is violence always part of your sexual fantasies?” Tyler interjected.J.D. whipped around—Sexual—?”—and got hit smack in the face with the squash ball. He toppled back and sprawled ungracefully across the court.Tyler stepped over and twirled his racquet. “This is nice. We should talk like this more often.”

“What are you doing here?” “I‘m simply an innocent gentleman trying to survive an attack by a crazy girl,” he teased, grinning. “I’m going to start counting down again,” I warned. “Okay, okay. I’ll tell you everything. But first, can you call off your pet dagger, please? I’ll be good, I promise.” I scoffed. “Why should I trust you?” “Because…I’m irresistibly charming?” He turned his head back to look at me. “Pretty please?” he asked, giving me another one of his teasing smirks—a trademark move that no girl refused, I figured, vowing to never be one of those girls”

“One day I’m going to find a way to rid you of that beast resting on your arm. (Artemis)(He looked at her over his shoulder.)And one day I’m going to find a way to rid myself of the beast resting on my back. (Acheron)”

“You cold or something?' he said. She strained against him; she wanted to pass clear through him: 'It's a chill, it's nothing'; and then, pushing a little away: 'Say you love me.'I said it.'No, oh no. You haven't. I was listening. And you never do.'Well, give me time.'Please.'He sat up and glanced at a clock across the room. It was after five. Then decisively he pulled off his windbreaker and began to unlace his shoes.Aren't you going to, Clyde?'He grinned back at her. 'Yeah, I'm going to.'I don't mean that; and what's more, I don't like it: you sound as though you were talking to a whore.'Come off it, honey. You didn't drag me up here to tell you about love.'You disgust me,' she said.Listen to her! She's sore!'A silence followed that circulated like an aggrieved bird. Clyde said, 'You want to hit me, huh? I kind of like you when you're sore: that's the kind of girl you are,' which made Grady light in his arms when he lifted and kissed her. 'You still want me to say it?' Her head slumped on his shoulder. 'Because I will,' he said, fooling his fingers in her hair. 'Take off your clothes--and I'll tell it to you good.”

“One boy has it particularly hard. I won't tell you his name. But I will tell you all about him. He has very nice brown hair, and he wears it long with a ponytail. I think he will regret this when he looks back on his life.”

“He didn’t say a word and she didn’t ask anything else, just ran her fingers through his hair until his breathing began to calm. Without letting go of her or even pulling away to face her he finally whispered against her ear, “Please don’t leave me. I promise I’ll try harder.” Slowly he pulled away and their eyes met. “I’m nothing without you, Izzy.”