“You're polite and sensitive, and you always try to do the right thing by people. And according to my friend Kara - you remember the blonde woman from last night? - you wear a pair of jeans very well.”

“You're good for me," I say. "The light to my shade.""Then you're the night to my day. A person needs both, you know.”

“You need to wear this." Amelia holds up a chunky silver necklace studded with gemstones. I can't help scrunching up my face. It's one fugly piece of bling.”

“Henny Penny," says Lupe. "Do you know this story?"I shake my head. Conversations with her can turn cryptic in the blink of an eye."She thinks the sky is falling. Do you see my meaning?""Not really.""Sometimes you have to let the world end, so you can build a new one.”

“It's like when I first saw you at the Diabetic. I went up to you, but really you made the first move.""Shut up!" She remains unconvinced. "How?"I don't answer. I sit still. Then I look at her slyly out of the corner of my eye, before looking away. I look at her again, for longer this time, then drop my eyes. For my final look I stare, and bat my eyelashes provocatively.I must do a good job because Nia laughs. It feels goo to know I can do that."You look like such a dufus in those glasses! It's not sexy at all!" She puts her hand to her reddening face. "Oh. Did I really do that?""It worked, didn't it?”

“You can try to distract me with your kisses, sir, but I will come through with the goods in the end.”

“It's never nice to admit we don't know our friends as well as we thought we did.”