欧宝娱乐

“An island can be dreadful for someone from outside. Everything is complete, and everyone has his obstinate, sure and self-sufficient place. Within their shores, everything functions according to rituals that are as hard as rock from repetition, and at the same time they amble through their days as whimsically and casually as if the world ended at the horizon.”
― Tove Jansson, The Summer Book

“There鈥檚 a writer for you,鈥� he said. 鈥淜nows everything and at the same time he knows nothing.鈥�

[narrator]It was my first inkling that he was a writer. And while I like writers鈥攂ecause if you ask a writer anything you usually get an answer鈥攕till it belittled him in my eyes. Writers aren鈥檛 people exactly. Or, if they鈥檙e any good, they鈥檙e a whole lot of people trying so hard to be one person. It鈥檚 like actors, who try so pathetically not to look in mirrors. Who lean backward trying鈥攐nly to see their faces in the reflecting chandeliers.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Love of the Last Tycoon

“I am not an outsider. I am an insider who discovered that everyone else had gone out.”
― Stephen J. Day, Horizontal - The Recumbent Adventures of Philias Switchmoat

“Gram?鈥� I asked. 鈥淵ou okay?鈥�
鈥淒amn men,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 fell in the toilet.鈥�
I busted out laughing. Tears of laughter coursed down my face. 鈥淥h God,鈥� I said, still laughing.
Caeden was blushing. Even his ears were red. 鈥淚 did tell you I can never remember to put the toilet seat down.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“He chuckled. 鈥淢ost girls want jewelry. Instead you want a balloon. How did I get to lucky? Which color do you want?鈥�
鈥淭hat one,鈥� I pointed to a pale blue one.
The gray haired man running the balloon cart seemed to find Caeden and me very amusing.
鈥淢ommy! Mommy!鈥� A little kid behind me shrieked. 鈥淚 want one! Boon! Boon!鈥�
鈥淣o,鈥� she said, from the tone of her voice I could tell she was exhausted.
鈥淏oon! Boon!鈥� the little girl cried as the mom picked her up and balanced her on her hip.
I looked over at Caeden and saw him holding two balloons. He grinned. 鈥淲hat? I heard someone else wanted a balloon and I just can鈥檛 resist a damsel in distress.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Before I knew what was happening the game was starting. A guy from the other team looked me over. 鈥淏ut you鈥檙e a girl,鈥� he yelled and looked over at his coach. 鈥淪he鈥檚 a girl!鈥�
Bryce stood up in the stands. 鈥淣o dip dumb shit! Of course she鈥檚 a girl! She has boobies and a-鈥� Caeden tackled Bryce before anything else could slip out of his mouth.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Kyle tapped Caeden鈥檚 shoulder. 鈥淚sn鈥檛 your little brother the one who sang the Fergie song at the top of his lungs during that assembly last year.鈥�
Caeden buried his face in his hands. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the one.鈥�
Shane snickered. 鈥淚 watched that on youtube.鈥�
鈥淗e did a dance too,鈥� Tyler said, and began to, I guess, mimic it. The other guys joined in and they began to sing the lyrics to Glamorous.
鈥淥h God,鈥� Caeden croaked. 鈥淵outube?鈥�
They finished mimicking and Shane said, 鈥淵eah, it鈥檚 on youtube. It鈥檚 got like a million hits or something.鈥�
鈥淎 million?鈥� Caeden squeaked.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“I feel like someone鈥檚 going to see my hot pocket if the wind blows this thing up a bit.鈥�
I snorted. 鈥淕ram!”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“He started wrapping the fabric around my eyes and I laughed, 鈥淐aeden, what are you doing?鈥�
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 pretty obvious. I鈥檓 blindfolding you, silly girl.鈥�
He secured the knot on the back of my head. 鈥淵ou better not mess up my hair,鈥� I warned.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“I held onto Caeden鈥檚 neck with one hand and used the other to keep my dress from flashing my fanny at any unsuspecting woodland creatures. The sight might shock them to death.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“What are you watching?鈥�
鈥淚nfomercials,鈥� I said.
Bryce laughed and wiped his hands on his pajama pants before grabbing the house phone off the side table. 鈥淭hese are the best. I love calling and asking them questions.鈥�
鈥淟ike what?鈥�
鈥淵ou鈥檒l see,鈥� he grinned mischievously, waggling his eyebrows, and punched in the number.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Is princess here?鈥� Coach called from his office.
鈥淭he she-wolf has arrived!鈥� Evan yelled back.
Coach emerged from his office and stood in front of us.
Oh God, he had the short shorts on again.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Evan looked at my empty pizza box and then held up three fingers, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e hot, you play soccer, and you have a very healthy appetite. Please marry me?鈥�
I laughed and leaned into Caeden who then put his arm around me. 鈥淪orry, you know I鈥檓 taken.鈥�
鈥淒arn,鈥� Evan smiled. 鈥淗ave any sisters?鈥�
鈥淥nly child.鈥�
鈥淪o not fair,鈥� he said. Evan looked over at Caeden. 鈥淵ou better put a ring on that before someone tries to sweep her out from under you.鈥�
Caeden grinned and kissed my cheek. 鈥淚鈥檓 not worried,鈥� he winked at me.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Watcha doin鈥�?鈥� Caeden flopped down on the couch beside me.
鈥淗omework, you should really try it sometime.鈥�
He snorted. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 even know what grades I make.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 sure they suck.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Caeden grabbed my hand and grinned like a little boy in a candy shop. 鈥淐arnival time!鈥� He drug me from the car and then behind him as he headed to a ring toss game. 鈥淚 think I need to win my girl a prize,鈥� he said.
I laughed.
鈥淲hat?鈥� he shrugged. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like a rite of passage. Every boyfriend has to win his girlfriend a prize,鈥� he winked, turning my stomach to jelly.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“He leaned over, putting his hand on my face, and tracing my cheek with his thumb. 鈥淚 will always take care of you.鈥� 鈥揅aeden to Sophie”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Hey ya鈥檒l, you鈥檒l never believe what I just heard! Apparently some girl totally flipped out on the Ferris wheel.鈥�
I paled.
鈥淥h God, it was you wasn鈥檛 it?鈥� he looked at me and busted out laughing. 鈥淚t figures.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“You always did look like a girl as a baby. Is there something you鈥檇 like to let me know?鈥�
鈥淚 did not look like a girl,鈥� Bryce said between gritted teeth. 鈥淚 just had luscious hair, don鈥檛 be hatin鈥�.鈥� 鈥揅aeden and Bryce”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“I wanted to smack Logan over the head for his pessimistic attitude.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“I laughed. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 care if you鈥檙e nice or not. I just want you to be you. No more pretending. I think it鈥檚 time we all got to know the real Logan Lyke.鈥�
鈥淲hat if I don鈥檛 know who the real me is?鈥� he asked.
鈥淭hen I guess you better find yourself,鈥� I smiled.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“How come you didn鈥檛 win me anything?鈥� Charlotte asked Bryce.
Bryce looked at the smorgasbord of stuffed critters that Caeden had won for me. 鈥淏ecause babe,鈥� he turned to her, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 do clich茅s.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“I found Caeden lying on my bed with both the dogs. He was talking to them and petting Archie behind his ears.
It was like our own little family.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“I felt my knees turn to jelly. I never thought I鈥檇 be one of those girls who swooned over their boyfriend but Caeden was completely, and undeniably, swoon-worthy.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Don鈥檛 you two dare say a thing,鈥� she pointed a finger at us, straightening her skirt with the other hand. 鈥淛ust bite your tongues.鈥�
鈥淵ou look great, Lucinda.鈥�
鈥淎nd you鈥檙e a liar and should have your mouth washed out with soap,鈥� she tugged on the sleeves of her cardigan.
鈥淣ice pearls,鈥� I pointed to her neck.
鈥淒idn鈥檛 I tell ya鈥檒l to bite yer tongues,鈥� Gram鈥檚 southern drawl became more pronounced when she was irritated.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Evan slung his arm over my shoulder. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 my mom and dad,鈥� he pointed to a couple approaching us as families trickled onto the field. 鈥淢om! Get a picture of me and she-wolf?鈥�
鈥淪ure, sure,鈥� the strawberry blonde lady said, digging in her purse. 鈥淎ha! Here it is. I鈥檓 Elaine, Evan鈥檚 mom,鈥� she announced to us. 鈥淣ow smile!鈥�
I smiled but just before the flash went off Evan kissed my cheek. I gasped in surprise, probably making the funniest face known to man.
Evan snatched the camera from his mom and laughed. 鈥淭hat is totally going to be my facebook profile pic. Take a look she-wolf.鈥�
He turned the camera so I could see the image on the screen.
Oh, God.
I narrowed my eyes and pointed a finger at Evan. 鈥淵ou better promise me that, that picture never sees the light of day.鈥�
鈥淲ell, technically it鈥檚 already seen the light of day, seeing as it鈥檚 the morning and all.鈥�
鈥淓van, you know what I mean.鈥�
鈥淔ine,鈥� he lowered his head, 鈥淚 won鈥檛 post it on facebook.鈥�
鈥淥r twitter, instagram, or any other picture sharing site. Got it? Maybe you should just delete it now?鈥�
鈥淣ah,鈥� Evan grinned. 鈥淚鈥檓 keeping this forever and ever as proof that I kissed the she-wolf.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“As students cross the threshold from outside to insider, they also cross the threshold from superficial learning motivated by grades to deep learning motivated by engagement with questions. Their transformation entails an awakening--even, perhaps, a falling in love.”
― John C. Bean, Engaging Ideas: The Professor's Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom

“In heist movies, there's always a montage of scenes where the caper crew rehearses for the big day. The greaser person practices maneuvering through a mock laser beam field made up of string. The driver races through obstacle courses, back alleys, and dark city streets. The hacker pounds on her keyboard, staring at screens full of code. The gadget person demonstrates all their clever toys. The key master practices opening a safe. The muscle finds a few security guards to knock unconscious and wrestles guard dogs to the ground. The inside person seduces or befriends the target and gets them to spill their secrets. And the leader organizes it all with the help of her second-in-command.
At least, that's the way it works in the movies. In real life, with a bunch of newbs who are scraping by with low-paying jobs, inflexible hours, difficult bosses, and a bunch of side gigs to make ends meet, just organizing a rehearsal heist was one hell of a task.”
― Sara Desai, To Have and to Heist

“The Innocent child Inside you are Always the Best Part of Your Life.”
― Pradip Bendkule

“I鈥檓 not an outsider because I see the inside of you.”
― Donna Goddard, Prana

“He's resourceful and very good with people. His job will be to form a connection with someone in the mansion so he can get inside and feed us information."
"I'll bet he's good with people," Emma muttered. "So long as the people have boobs, money, and utterly no taste."
"You remind me of someone I really cared about." Cristian gave her a smooth, guileless smile that made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. "We should hang out. I've always enjoyed spending time with older women. You could teach me how to knit."
Emma's face turned three shades of fury. "Give me a pair of knitting needles and I'll shove them up your---”
― Sara Desai, To Have and to Heist