“My shirt is gray,” I pointed out. “You’ve expanded my fashion horizons dramatically. I wear three colours now.”

“She shrugged and flipped her glossy hair behind her shoulders. "What else do you have to do with your time besides think about stuff like this? It's not like you're real heavy into extracurriculars. Besides, you're all, like, goth and into the dead, right?"Alona Dare, queen of the insult-compliment. "Wow. Thanks. Anyone ever tell you you're good with people?"She frowned. "No.""Good. I'm not goth.""Your hair is black, you have piercings, you wear black all the time and act all freaky-""My hair is naturally this color. I have three earings in one ear, that's it. This shirt" -I tugged at the fabric across my chest- "is navy blue, and if I act weird all the time, it's because of ghosts like you.”

“I whispered, taking advantage of her momentary distraction to try to adjust the front of my pants. If I had to run now, I’d be in big trouble.”

“I resisted the urge to point out that since Alona was already technically dead, it wouldn’t really be homicide. I do have some sense of self-preservation.”

“I couldn't figure out how the system worked. And maybe that was the point. If you aren't sure how it works, it's a lot harder to game it.”

“I’d ended up sprawled across his chest, which was actually broader than it looked. Navy blue is a slimming colour, I guess.”

“I think, uh, I might be in love with you," I said, my voice sounding gruff and awkward even to my own ears.”