“Cookie!" The kid holds up a carrot with the feathery green still attached to the top. "Seriously?" The woman gives me a wide-eyed don't say anything look and walks away fast.”

“she drew me. But not who I see in the mirror. Nia saw the Oscar i keep hidden. And she put him on paper. Nobody sees the real me.”

“But I can’t leave, not yet. I’ll stay with her until sunrise. If I brace my feet, I won’t slide. I can rest my cheek on the roof tile and still see her. Pacing. Pulling her hair. “I’ll fix you,” I tell her. “I promise.” Even though I don’t know how.It’s better than good-bye.”

“I'm done waiting for someone, even my father, to save me. Today I'm the one who will be doing the saving.”

“You have points on the tip of your ears." she tilts her head and stares at me." like a big, tall elf.”

“Es lo que quieres que sea. Esa es la razón por la que me gusta el arte. Nadie se confunde.”

“I run my hands down her bare arms. Shoulders to elbows to wrists. She has goose bumps, even in the muggy Florida night. Maybe that’s because of me.Sometimes I forget she likes me the same way I like her.”