“Sorry to be your second choice.""Don't be stupid. Third choice. Mum's asleep, remember?" He laughs again.”

“It's why she's always switching coaches, and it's why she'd rather get third instead of second. When she gets third, at least she's happy to have placed. But second. That's too close to first.”

“So do you believe in second chances?" I bite my lip."Second, third, fourth. Whatever it takes. However long it takes. If the person is right," he adds."If the person is... Lola?"This time, he holds my gaze. "Only if the other person is Cricket.”

“What my parents never considered is that I just wanted a choice.”

“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.”

“If I weren't standing next to your boyfriend, I'd be tempted to ask you out myself."She blushes, and St. Clair bounds inside the box office and wrestles her into a hug. "Miiiiiiiiine!" he says."Cut it out." Anna pushes him off, laughing. "You'll get fired. And then I'll have to support your sorry arse for the rest of our lives.”

“They stayed with my mum.""That's... weird.""Not really. Mum is cool, easy to get along with."I raise a teasing eyebrow. "So where did YOU guys stay?""Where we always stay." He stares back solemnly. "In our very separate dormitories.”