“Well,” Naomi said cheerfully, “what’s the worst that can happen?” They were silent, considering that, because there were just so many possibilities. But in the end, it was a better idea than Facebook.”

“Because you've got guy parts, you're automatically a better mechanic than me? I don't think so," Eve said, and bailed out of the passenger side.”

“I liked you better when you were this timid little kid. What happened?”“I started living with you guys.”“Oh, right.”

“It's an illusion, control," Naomi said. "You ought to understand that by now, young Claire. We are never in control of our destinies, even the strongest of us. All we can hope to do is not be too badly damaged by events.”

“You think that because I want to do what’s right, because I want to make things better, I’m weak,” Claire said. “Or that I’m stupid. But I’m not. It takes a lot more strength to know how bad the world is and not want to be part of that, give in to it. And I do know, Kim. Believe me.”

“Eve took me to teach me how to fence," Claire said."Not so much how to fence as how to hold a sword and not drop it," Eve said. "And then I fought Oliver to a draw."Shane fluttered his hands. "Oh, and then we were all elected as ice princesses and asked to go to Disneyland!""Laugh all you want. I'm going to look way better in full skirts than you," Eve said.”

“There were so many layers of reality to the world. Nothing stopped for death; nothing stopped for grief or horror or tragedy.”