“They shouldn't call death passing on. They should call it leveling up. Because the game only got harder once I lost. And I was more than a little worried it had only just begun.”

“A little known fact: I read all the time. books were the one thing that got me out of Gatlin, even if it was only for a little while.”

“I said it, just like that. No stupid jokes, no changing the subject. For once, I wasn't embarrassed, because it was the truth. I had fallen. I think I had always been falling. And she might as well know, if she didn't already, because there was no going back now. Not for me.”

“Sunday night, I reread The Catcher in the Rye until I felt tired enough to fall asleep. Only I never got tired enough. And I couldn't read, because reading didn't feel the same.”

“- L, did you know we’re reenacting the Salem witch trials in Englishtomorrow?- Haven’t been memorizing your case file? Do you even look in yourbackpack anymore?- Did you know my dad is videotaping it? I do. Because I walked in on his lunch date with Mrs. English.- Ewww.- What should we do?- I guess we should start calling her Ms. English?- Not funny, L.”

“The new girl looked up and caught me looking at her.I looked away, but it wasbto late. I tried not to smile, but I was embarrassed, and that only made me smile more. she didn't seem to notice.”

“I walked over and picked up one of the jugs. "What's this? Some kind of Caster disinfectant?"Lena took it out of my hand and lined it up with the others. "Yeah, it's called bleach.”