“My face blush more for his smile than anything else.”

“Why didn't you guys dress up?" Lindsey asks."We did." Calliope cracks her first smile. "we're dressed as twins."Lindsey grins back. "Hmm, I see it now. Fraternal or identical?""You'd be surprised how many people ask," Cricket says."What do you tell them?" Lindsey asks."That I have a penis."Oh God. My cheeks burn as they all burst into laughter. Think about something else, Dolores. ANYTHING else. Cucumbers, Bananas, Zucchini. AHHHH! NO NO NO NO NO NO NO. I turn my face away from them as Calliope fakes a yakking sound.”

“Even his hair seemed more startled than usual.”

“Har. Bloody. Har."He smiles. "Oh, I see. Known me less than a day and teasing me about my accent. What's next? Care to discuss the state of my hair? My height? My trousers?"Trousers. Honestly.”

“I smile as I leave them, wondering what building my dad would try to save with his writing.Probably a baseball stadium. Or a Burger King.”

“When you're asleep, no one asks you to do anything. No one expects anything of you. And you don't have to face any of your troubles.”

“I chuck my bag into his lap,perhaps a little too hard.St. Clair oofs and jerks forward."Watch it." Josh bites into a pink apple and talks through a full moouth. "He has parts down there you don't have.""Ooo,parts," I say. "Intriguing. Tell me more."Josh smiles sadly. "Sorry. Privelged information.Only people with parts can know about said parts."St. Clair shakes the rest of the leaves from his hair and puts on The Hat. Rashmi makes a face at him. "Really? Today? In public?" she asks."Every day," he says. "As long as you're with me.”