Huamns, uregulated, are cruel and capricious; violet and selfish; miserable and quarrelsome. It is only after their instincts and basic emotions have been controlled that they can be happy, generous, and good.

Lindsay calls them the Pugs: pretty from far away, ugly up close.

That is the rule of the Wilds: You must be bigger and stronger and tougher. You must hurt or be hurt.

When we get out of highschool we'll look back and know we did everything right, that we kissed the cutest boys and went to the best parties, got in just enough trouble, listened to our music too loud, smoked too many cigarettes, and drank too much and laughed too much and listened too little, or not al all.

There are some losses we never get over.

I'll find you," he says, watching me with the eyes I remember. "I won't let you go again

He's stuck with me and I'm stuck with him. We're stuck. That's what growing up is all about, I guess.