“He isn't stupid, but his interests are so narrow I doubt I could slip a sheet of paper in between them”

“Sebastian notices the girl too, so he opens up his binder to a fresh sheet of paper, then takes out a pen and writes, "I still really miss you.”

“They say the cure is about happiness, but I understand now that it isn't, and it never was. It's about fear: fear of pain, fear of hurt, fear, fear, fear - a blind animal existence, bumping between walls, shuffling between ever-narrowing hallways, terrified and dull and stupid.”

“I put things down on sheets of paper and stuff them in my pockets. When I have enough, I have a book.”

“I slide down between the sheets beside him, like a secret letter slipped into the safety of an envelope. And dream of ancient places, where everyone is young.”

“Giving the tortoise a little wave, I kind of felt stupid afterward for doing so. It just stuck its head back in its green and brown shell. "That's a very interesting pet.""And those are very interesting shorts." His gaze dropped. "What are they?" Leaning forward his eyes narrowed and I stiffened. "Pizza slices?"Heat swamped my cheeks. "They're ice cream cones.""Huh. I like them." Straightening, his gaze drifted up me slowly, leaving an unfamiliar wake of heat behind. "A lot.”