“Jason straightened his shirt. “What’s ‘chauvinistic’ mean?”“It’s in the dictionary next to a picture of your father,” mutteredKyle.”

“Kyle took a deep breath, like he had picked up on the question I hadn't asked. That was one of the differences between him and Jason: Kyle always gave just as much weight and consideration to the things I didn't say as to the things I did.”

“I can't believe I let you talk me into this," muttered Serena, as the number 16 bus rumbled over the bridge connecting the north and south sides of the town."I didn't talk you into anything," I reminded her as we reached Jason's neighbourhood and began passing a string of progressively nicer - and larger - houses. "You invited yourself along.""Okay, then I can't believe you didn't talk me out of this.”

“Tell me it's not true."He sighed. "Fine. It's not true."...And yet..."Are you lying?"He rolled his eyes. "Of course I'm lying.""Not cool." I muttered.Kyle shrugged. "I didn't want you to start hyperventilating again." His hair fell over his eyes and he brushed it aside. "I figured annoying you was safer than admitting anything.”

“I was too scared to open my eyes. It was the logic of a child; if you don't open your eyes, the monster won't see you.”

“Kyle is my best friend. Why would I risk screwing that up?""Mackenzie Catherine Dobson, have you learned nothing from romantic comedies? Do I need to make a trip to the video store?" Tess set her fork down and sighed. "'We're just friends' is the oldest plot device in the book. All it really means is that you're just friends until one of you get the balls to do something about all the unresolved tension.”

“He turned to face me and his eyes widened. "Are you crying?"He sounded a little panicked, like the sight of a crying girl was scarier than anything that had happened over the past forty-eight hours.”