How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
Monday was Laurel's first day of school with the huge bloom on her back […] She met David in the front atrium before school and he assured her several times that he couldn't tell there was anything under her shirt. (7.75)
High school totally intensifies people's feelings about their appearances, so it's no wonder Laurel is freaking out about whether her blossom is showing and people could see it. Teenagers can be mean… why give 'em more ammo by letting your weirdness hang out in plain sight?
Quote #5
Her dad laughed. "Yeah. Probably a football player who took one too many hits. But you can't base your opinion on the way someone looks. Remember that whole book-and-cover thing?" (7.56)
Barnes gives off a creepy vibe to Laurel, and at first, she can only chalk it up to his strange looks (since she doesn't yet know about the existence of trolls or faeries). Her dad, who seems like a fair guy overall, urges her to give him the benefit of the doubt and not judge a book by its cover. That seems like a good rule of thumb, unless, of course, you're dealing with a troll. Then you should definitely judge a book by its cover.
Quote #6
Enraptured, Laurel just stared. His green-and-black hair hung in long strands that fell across his forehead, just shy of his eyes. He was dressed in a loose white shirt that looked homemade and similarly styled brown baggy pants that tied just below the knees. They were decidedly old-fashioned, but he made them seem as trendy as the rest of him. (8.52)
Tamani's appearance is a strange mix of new and old. His clothing is definitely traditional-looking, as in he'd totally fit in at a Renaissance Faire, but his bright green hair and eyes make him look like someone who'd belong at a hacker or body modification convention. The contrast is so appealing and novel, it's no wonder Laurel doesn't know what to do with herself.