“ What’s your name?” I ask again. “Chris,” he says. “Chris Young.” I exhale dramatically, blowing my bangs out of my eyes. “I can take you,” I reply. “But if you try anything, I’ll shoot you right betwe… Summer Lane
“ And he leans in, so carefully. Breathing and not breathing and hearts beating between us and he's so close, he's so close and I can't feel my legs anymore. I can't feel my fingers or the cold or the e… Tahereh Mafi
“ You cannot thrive under the wrong stars, Kricket… the stars here are in opposition to you… can’t you feel it?… Let us take you home. Amy A. Bartol
“ Every Forsaken in a mile radius can probably hear you. You’re just asking for trouble if you two don’t stop whipping out the measuring stick.”“It’s his fault,” Avery snaps, pointing at Julian.“Shut up… Laura Kreitzer
“ He smiles at her before ever opening his eyes. The innocence in his face ensnares. Wraps her heart in a cocoon.They did this to him. The Society. Constructed that smile with malicious expectations. No… Laura Kreitzer
“ He’s focused on something—or someone—over her shoulder.The harmonious warbling of the rainforest morphs into organized disarray, as if a primitive maestro has thrown conducting to the wind and let Mot… Laura Kreitzer
“ The night surrounds, breathes across her skin. They’re lost in the shadows of the moon. Laura Kreitzer
“ A layer of fine powder coats his skin.“My lungs are turning to concrete,” Rob wheezes, hacking and spitting.“So are my eyes. How do I always get roped into these things?” Avery coughs and pats Rob’s b… Laura Kreitzer
“ Avery slides on his glasses and opens his eyes again. “Dammit!” he says again with more feeling. “Why does stuff like this keep happening?”“You say that as if it’s a bad thing,” Rob says, smirking. Laura Kreitzer
“ Her mum is leaning against the wall, arms crossed, when Summer exits. “Gage left from here a few minutes ago,” she says, tone neutral. “His hair was ruffled.” She gestures with her hand above her head… Laura Kreitzer
“ If this is my final moment,” she says, “then I can die happy.”“Is that why you’re saying all this? Because you think we’re going to die?”“I don’t know,” she admits.“Dammit, Summer.” He clings to her w… Laura Kreitzer
“ Dammit, Gage. What the hell were you thinking?”“I wasn’t,” he shouts. “I was upset she wanted to stay, and I lost it.”Ethan scoffs. “Yeah, you did.”“I’m an idiot.”“Yeah, you are.”“Shut up. Laura Kreitzer
“ When I see your scars, do I want to erase them? Absolutely. But not your physical scars. The real ones, beneath the surface. The ones that compel you to stay silent or force you to cringe. Those are t… Laura Kreitzer
“ Seconds ebb and wane. She’s not afraid of her voice anymore, but she’s not entirely sure she trusts it. She’s seen the damage caused with a single word. Right now, each one is a weapon, a conduit of w… Laura Kreitzer
“ I can’t—won’t do that to him,” Summer says sharply. “Or to myself. Besides, your feelings for me aren’t real. The Society did this to you. And if they did it to you, they probably scrambled my brain t… Laura Kreitzer
“ Just in case you’re wondering,” Gage says, breaking the silence, “this alliance of ours doesn’t mean I like you.”“Feeling’s mutual.” Julian tosses him a disdainful look. Laura Kreitzer
“ I thought it was just him,” she says, ignoring him. “But then I found out I had the same effect, which means the Society did something to my head too.”Gage’s eyes close, horror washing over him. “You… Laura Kreitzer
