“Can you get me home by nine?" His grin widened. "Isolde, my friend, I can get you back by quarter 'til.”

“Hey Rose, welcome back. You still breaking hearts?""Are you volunteering?" His grin widened." Let's hang out sometime and find out. If you ever get parole.”

“I am strangely glad to get back again to you: and wherever you are is my home--my only home.”

“And when I have to step in puddles, he lays himself down in the water so I can walk on his back to avoid getting wet. You know, normal friend stuff.”

“Fine," Strider said tightly. "You can. But you wont. Because you know that if you take the woman out of this home, I'll go gray from worry. And you like my hair the way it is.""Stridey-man. Are you hitting on my? Trying to get me to run my fingers through those mangy locks?"Gideon chuckled. "Sweetie pie."Striders lips even twitched into a grin. "You know I hate when you get mushy like that."Boy loved it. No question.”

“Excuse me, Ms. Matthews; you are going to be late for class if you don’t get going. Can you read the map, or are you already lost?” the stern voice of the secretary pulled me out of my stupor. “Um, no, I can read,” I said, sheepishly, still unable to take my eyes off the mysterious boy staring back.“Of course, you can read,” she said sharply, snapping my entranced head back to reality. “Now, get to class.”