“So do all animals react that way to you? I know you said rats steer clear.""Most do. They see a human, but they smell someting else. It confuses them. Canines are the worst, though." He paused. "No, cats are the worst. I really don't like cats."I laughed.”

“Do you like manga?" she asked after a minute. "Anime?""Anime's cool. I'm not really into it, but 1 like Japanese movies,animated or not.""Well, I'm into it. I watch the shows, read the books, chat on the boards, and all that. But this girl I know, she'scompletely into it. She spends most of her allowance on the books and DVDs. She can recite dialogue fromthem." She caught my gaze. "So would you say she belongs here?""No. Most kids are that way about something, right? With me, it'smovies. Like knowing who directed a sci-fi movie made before I was born.”

“So I was right, wasn't I? It's still you, even in wolf form.'He grunted.No sudden uncontrollable urges to go kill something?'He rolled his eyes.Hey, you're the one who was worried.' I paused. 'And I don't smell like dinner, right?'I got a real look for that one.Just covering all the bases.”

“He blocked me. " What'd you do, Chloe?"I sidestepped. He sidesteped."You like him, don't you?" he said. "Yes, I like him. Just not...""Not what?""Talk to Simon. He's the one who thinks...""Thinks what?"Step. Block."Thinks what?""That there's someone else," I blurted before I could stop myself. I took a deep, shuddering breath. "He thinks there's someone else.""Who?"I was going to say I don't know. Some guy from school, I guess. But Derek's expression already knew the answer. The look on his face...It'd been humiliating before, having Simon accuse me of liking Derek, but that was nothing compared to how I felt when I saw Derek's look. Not just surprise, but shock. Shock and horror."Me?" he said. "Simon said he thinks you and I are-" "No, not that. He knows we aren't-""Good. So what does he think?""That I like you." Again, the words flew out before I could stop them.”

“Well, you've got the growling part down pat already. Probaly all those years of practice."He began to rise, his legs wobbly."All right, I'm coming back. I just didn't want to be in your way."A grunt. Your not. Or that's what I hoped he meant."You can understand me, can't you?" I said as I returned to sit on his discarded sweatshirt. "You know what I'm saying."He tried to nod, then snarled at the awkwardness of it."Not easy when you can't talk, is it?" I grinned. "Well, not easy for you. I could get used to it."He grumbled, but I coulld see the relief in his eyes, like he was glad to see me smile."So I was right, wasn't I? It's still you even if wolf form."He grunted."No sudden urges to go kill something?"He rolled his eyes."Hey, you're the one who was worried." I paused. "And I don't smell like dinner, right?"I got a real good look for that one."Just covering my bases.”

“So," Simon said. "Looks like you and Derek are getting along again. What happened? Did he give you the look?""Look?""You know. The one that makes him look like a whipped puppy, and makes you feel like a jerk for doing the whipping.""Ah, that one. So it works on you, too?"He snorted. "It even works on Dad. We give in, we tell him it's okay, and the next thing you know, he's chewing up slippers again."I laughed.”

“You saw a ghost, didn't you?" he said.To my relief, I managed to laugh. "Hate to break it to you, butthere's no such thing as ghosts."Huh."His gaze traveled around the laundry room, like a cop searchingfor an escaped convict. When he turned thatpiercing look on me, its intensity sucked the backbone out of me.What do you see, Chloe?"I -I-I don't s-s-s-"Slow down." He snapped the words, impatient. "What do theylook like? Do they talk to you?"You really want to know?"Yeah."I chewed my lip, then lifted onto my tiptoes. He bent to listen.They wear white sheets with big eye holes. And they say 'Boo!'" Iglowered up at him. "Now get out of myway."I expected him tosneer. Cross his arms and say, Make me, little girl.His lips twitched and I steeled myself, then I realized he was smiling.Laughing at me.He stepped aside. I swept past him to the stairs.”