“this is no place for miracles”

“What are you doing?" I say hoarsely as he trails a finger from the beauty mark on my rib cage to the one on my hip, leaving a path of goose bumps in his wake."Connecting the dots," he murmurs with a wicked look. "Uh-oh, you made me lose my place. Now I have to start all over again...”

“I tore the crusts off my grilled cheese sandwich and set them aside to throw out for the birds. Their motives were pure -- hunger, thirst, shelter -- and they didn't mind leftovers.”

“After school I all but ran to Gran's and it was funny how even with her so sick, being with her could still make me feel safe.”

“He shook his head and gave this laugh, a good laugh, and just looked at me. "You always this happy?""No," I said, laughing. "It's you. Every time I see you, I just...I don't know. You make me smile.”

“Why should I just sit around hoping it happens when maybe I can do something to make it happen?”

“All emotion receded, pulled out like low tide, leaving my brain an empty ocean bottom”