“We all know you’re beautiful, scott.”

I hung my fingertips on his waistband, tugging him closer. Patch buried his face in the curve of my shoulder, his hands flexing over my back. He gave a low groan. “i love you,” he murmured into my hair. “i’m happier right now than i ever remember being.

The truth is, normal might take years. Normal might never happen. But its definitely not going to happen if i lounge around here watching soaps and avoiding life. Im going to school today, end of story.

…Five minutes from now, when everything else had dropped away and i realized the full impact of what id done, id feel my heart breaking.

I have a free couple of hours,” i told him, walking toward my car, which was parked on the next block. “there’s a very private, very secluded barn in lookout hill park behind the carousel. I could be there in fifteen minutes.” i heard the smile in his voice. “you want me bad.

Before i could stop myself, i punched his arm. Careful, he said in a low voice. They might think were flirting.

Im really starting to like all this spy work, vee said. When my normal life gets boring, all i have to do is sidle up next to you.

Jev stroked his chin. “do i look like a summer fling?

Patch? Whatever happens, i love you.” i wanted to say more, those three words painfully inadequate for the way i felt about him. And at the same time, so simple and accurate, nothing else would do.

What i really wanted was the impossible.

Science is an investigation,” coach said, sanding his hands together. “science requires us to transform into spies.” put that way, science almost sounded fun. But i’d been in coach’s class long enough not to get my hopes up.

Don’t blame me. Tell your mom to move closer. Tell her there’s this new club called civilization and you guys should join.

I looked to the window. Patch was gone, but a single black feather was pressed to the outer pane, held in place by last night’s rain. Or angel magic

Something doesn’t look right,” vee said. “is the tire supposed to look like that?” i banged my head against the nearest tree trunk. “so we’ve got a flat,” vee said. “what now?

You find the wrong boy, you ask for trouble. You find the right boy, you find love.

Maybe scotty the potty turned into scotty the hottie. Have you thought about that?

I didnt break his jaw, but if he lays a hand on you, it will be the first of many things to break, patch said.