I roll my eyes. "So when did I become so special? When they carted me off to the Capitol?"
"No, about six months before that. Right after New Year's. We were in the Hob, eating some slop of Greasy Sae's. And Darius was teasing you about trading a rabbit for one of his kisses. And I realized...I minded.

You are the closest I will ever come to magic.

That should have been my strategy! By the time I’ve worked through the emotions of surprise, admiration, anger, jealousy, and frustration, I’m watching that reddish mane of hair disappear into the trees well out of shooting range.

What have the nibblers ever done for you?"
The breeze ruffled her hair, pushing it back from her face, giving him a clear shot of her eyes. They were asking for an answer. Needing to know if she could count on him.
"They saved your life," he said.
And for just a moment, Luxa's face softened and she smiled.

Since that day I saw you in chemistry class with thatt canary yellow shirt, I wanted to make every day Christmas for you.

You saved me," I said. Nathaniel put his hands on either side of my face. "I had to," he said. "So you could save me back.