It's for personal reasons," I say stiffly, which is what my mother had always told me to say about things that had to do with fighting with your brothers, getting any sort of illness that had intestinal ramifications, starting your period, and money.

Sam,' the girl said. 'Sam.' She was the past present and future. I wanted to answer , but I was broken.

When you were born, the rivers dried up and the cattle in Rockingham County wept blood.

The place smelled like Sam -- or, I guess, he smelled like the store. Like ink and old building and something more leafy than coffee but less interesting than weed. It was all very ... erudite. I felt surrounded by conversations I had no interest in participating in.

Sam reached his hand toward mine and I automatically put my fingers in his.

If Adam was stupid about his pride, Gansey was stupid about Adam.

Don't give me that look. I'm not trying to find out who you are. I don't care who you are. I just want to know why it is you are the way you are.