“He hurt your back,” Roden said. “I can tell by the way you’re walking.” “My back is fine.” It wasn’t true, but I felt braver for saying it. “It’s your own fault if he did hurt it,” Tobias said. “Why do you do it?” I shrugged. “What?” “Aggravate people the way you do. You seem bent on making enemies here.” “And you insist on making false friends.”

“He hurt your back,” Roden said. “I can tell by the way you’re walking.” “My back is fine.” It wasn’t true, but I felt braver for saying it. “It’s your own fault if he did hurt it,” Tobias said. “Why do you do it?” I shrugged. “What?” “Aggravate people the way you do. You seem bent on making enemies here.” “And you insist on making false friends.”

— Jennifer A. Nielsen