I know you pretty well." "Better than anyone I think." I smiled. Her compliment was like a gift itself, only more precious than anything that could be bought.

If you were closer, I'd slap you," she said. "Let me help," I replied, and stepped closer. She promptly slapped me, which surprised me only a little. We glared at each other in the near dark, and then she looked away. "I'm sorry I slapped you," she said. "That's all right. I quite enjoyed it.

Let me get you all some punch,” I said. “You're leaving us?” said Isabel, sounding panicky. “I'll be right back,” I promised. “If anyone comes near you, just scream and run.

I raised my hands, trying to shush her. "Don't shush me," she said, eyes blazing. "I hate being shushed.

The preface? Why would he waste time with the preface? Skip the preface and move on to the meat of the thing!

It was as though, in one moment, he had become a stranger. And I a stranger to myself.

I'm cursed with this puritanical streak that makes me want everything to be about something. It's a terrible affliction.