Kemmerer Quotes & Sayings

So ... why is your brother mean to girls?"
"Because," said Michael from the doorway, "I have three younger brothers who think it's hilarious to parade jailbait through here on a daily basis."
His tone was enough to make her glad she'd worn the pullover into the house. "No one told me there was a parade," she said acidly. "And here I forgot my banner. — Brigid Kemmerer

He half rose from his seat and reached across another student's desk to drop the mangled paper clip in front of Tommy.
"Look, dude," he said, his voice low and earnest. "You want to ask me out, you man up and do it proper. — Brigid Kemmerer

Adam's thumb tapped against his neck. "Your heart is racing."
No kidding.
Nick turned his head away and took the ice bag. He set it on the table and had to look into his coffee mug again.
"Sorry," said Adam. "I know there's no point in pushing your buttons. You're just so adorable when you blush like that." Then he was grinning. "Or like that. — Brigid Kemmerer

Casper, she said someone has to hold your leash.
The dog barked.
Then he dipped his head, picked up the end of the leash in his mouth, and trotted after his master. — Brigid Kemmerer

Does it scare you?" said Clare. "Living in a house with guns?"
Hunter smiled. "It's not like I wake up in the middle of the night to find them staring down at me."
"Shut up." She gave him a light shove. "No, I mean, are you ever worried you'll accidentally get shot?"
"You mean, when I catch the assault rifle raiding the refrigerator? Like maybe it'll turn on me?"
Her breath caught again. "You have an assault rifle in your house?"
"Sure. It's partial to lime Jell-O. — Brigid Kemmerer

The ground went out from under her. She sucked in a breath, flailing for balance. Arms came around her waist from behind, jerking her back, keeping her feet in the air.
She fought, feeling his chest at her back, but he was too strong.
"Damn it," he said, his voice strained. "Do you want to go in the water?"
That forced her still. Red and white lights still hung in the distance, warring with the stars. Now that she wasn't running the sound of waves hitting the rocks was unmistakable.
And right in front of her.
"The water?" she said numbly.
He put her feet on the ground, but he didn't let her go. "Yeah. Water. Did you miss the part where I said we're parked on a peninsula? — Brigid Kemmerer

Nick was waiting for him.
Gabriel hesitated. He wished those text messages had come with some kind of sign, whether Nick was pissed or exasperated or just completely done with him. Hell, a freaking emoticon would have been helpful.
His own room sat pitch-dark at the opposite end of the hallway. A black hole. Gabriel eased around the creaky spot in the floor and slid past his twin's room. Once in his own, he flung his duffel bag onto the ground and shut the door, closing the dark around himself. He sighed and kicked his shoes into the well of blackness under the bed. Maybe Nick hadn't heard him. Maybe he thought he was still out in the car.
"You are so predictable."
Gabriel swore and fumbled for the light switch.
Nick was straddling his desk chair backward, his arms folded on the backrest.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Gabriel snapped. "Why are you sitting here in the dark?"
His twin shrugged. Because I knew you'd walk right past my room. — Brigid Kemmerer

I pissed off Quinn, and probably chased her into the arms of a psychopath. Oh, and I made out with another guy. It's a miracle our clothes stayed on. — Brigid Kemmerer

Then Hannah said, 'Look, either you're going to talk or I'm going to have to finish the story about the guy who chopped off his penis. Your call. — Brigid Kemmerer

Gabriel. Number three?"
That killed the smile. "Yeah. My twin brother. He says he doesn't care if I go away to school, but I know he does."
"Identical twin?"
"Yeah."
"Niiiiice."
Nick cut him another look, and Adam smiled. "Sorry. — Brigid Kemmerer

He moved until he stood close enough to share secrets, to dance. To kiss. — Brigid Kemmerer

You're the only person alive who would use superpowers to be more dorky. — Brigid Kemmerer

Music always rode the air until he felt each beat through his whole body. But the air here was full of energy that sparked and rejoiced with the melody. — Brigid Kemmerer

Becca remembered something Chris had said earlier. "Wait, I thought you would be benched all year if you got in another fight."
Gabriel laughed. "You're sweet. I'm not worried."
"You're not?"
"Nah. Don't you remember? They all think I'm Nick. — Brigid Kemmerer

Fuck!" He hit the door frame. It hurt. He did it again.
"Problems?"
"Yeah," said Gabriel. "Nick took the car."
Michael didn't even look up from the screen. "Huh. Didn't you do the same thing this morning?"
"Don't talk to me like I'm a little kid."
Now his brothers eyes flicked up. "I'm sorry, was that a mature adult punching the front door? — Brigid Kemmerer

Oh, I'm going to see him - in a pile of broken bones. Here. Have a cookie." Chris shook his head, and his — Brigid Kemmerer

Actually, there are," she'd said. "Want to see who can make the most inappropriate picture out of
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse?"
So they'd done that. She hadn't realized how ... creative a bunch of teen boys could get. But at
least it had cut through some of their tension. — Brigid Kemmerer

Well you're definitely gay. A straight guy wouldn't be such a drama queen. — Brigid Kemmerer

He looked up, past her, at the bedroom. Finally, a break to the white - but this wasn't much better. Pink carpeting, princess border along the ceiling, white walls, and a gold canopy bed.
"What," he said, "no Barbie dream castle?"
Layne flushed. "Shut up. — Brigid Kemmerer

She spilled your secrets," said Quinn
"Yeah?" He sliced off a piece of chicken and glanced across the table. "What's my name Becca?"
Busted. Becca wanted to melt into a puddle.
Quinn grinned. "You mean it's not really New Kid? — Brigid Kemmerer

We all push sometimes, just to make sure someone is on the other side, pushing back. — Brigid Kemmerer

Fire school? He'd never considered making a career out of his abilities. :I'll think about it," said Gabriel.
Nick clapped him on the shoulder again. "No, you'll do it. — Brigid Kemmerer

Aren't your parents going to freak when they see you?"
That rough laugh again. "I'd probably freak if I saw them. — Brigid Kemmerer

Failed a physics test," Nick said.
"You know how I solve that problem?" Said his twin. "I don't take physics. — Brigid Kemmerer

To whom it may concern: I'm not involved. Honest. Hugs, Becca. — Brigid Kemmerer

Adam trapped one of Nick's legs under his and shifted closer, pressing into him until there was no doubt he was happy to be there. — Brigid Kemmerer

How can you try harder at something that consumes every waking thought? — Brigid Kemmerer

Advocacy is better served when fellow activists are able to respond in ways that do not build walls or burn bridges. Change takes time and tends to come hard to human beings. Those who understand this human tendency are more effective activists. — Lisa Kemmerer

If you can't fix what went wrong, then fix what you can make right. — Brigid Kemmerer

He could imagine the college rejection letters now.
'After learning that one kiss and a sleepless night led you to fail a test, we have decided you are no longer a fit for our institution. — Brigid Kemmerer

So are the stories true?" asked Hunter. "Depends," Becca hedged. "What have you heard?"
"That you knocked two seniors on their asses on the soccer field, then flipped off the coach."
"Absolutely true," said Becca, deadpan. — Brigid Kemmerer

Nick smiled. "I kind of like the irony."
"Jesus, you are such a nerd." Gabriel flung the lighter at him.
"Stop using big words."
"Five letters is a big word? — Brigid Kemmerer

Loneliness is a funny disease. You don't realize how badly you're infected until someone gives you a shot of contentment - and then it wears off — Brigid Kemmerer

You know what sucks about sorry? It's the worst word in the world. Because it always happens after you fuck up something good. — Brigid Kemmerer

What is with you?" said Chris.
"Don't worry," said Quinn. "I already know he's an ass."
"Love you, too," said Gabriel. — Brigid Kemmerer

I also told Nick she's a player, and I'm not interested."
Becca smiled a little ruefully. "I believe that."
Hunter frowned. "What does that mean?"
"It means I've listened to her hit on every guy on the porch.I'm surprised she's not mounting Casper. — Brigid Kemmerer

Tonight, he'd looked broken. She'd been afraid to touch him, as if one brush of skin would send him shattering into a million pieces. But then she had, and he'd clung to her as if he'd been afraid to let go. Some people might see it as weakness, but she didn't. She knew how it felt to have life yank the rug out from under you. She knew what it meant to need someone to hold you, to share the weight of the world for a minute. For a second. She would have held him all night. And then her father had shown up to act like Detective Dickhead. As usual. — Brigid Kemmerer

Everything he knew was with a girl. Like reciting a learned lesson, something he could do because he had to. This - this was new. And exciting. And primal and raw and right. — Brigid Kemmerer

Becky," he said. "Get in the car."
"Becca," she corrected automatically. Her voice was breathy, her hands still clenched in fists.
"For god's sake-" His eyes slid left. "Just get in the car. — Brigid Kemmerer

God! She was tempted to take a picture of her middle finger and send it back. Her fingers flew across the screen. Heading to first period. Maybe you can do something more useful than texting me. — Brigid Kemmerer

Nick's eyes were like ice. "Maybe we should talk about what happened in third period today. I didn't even ask if you were okay."
What a bastard. "Shut up."
"What happened?" said Michael
"Nothing," said Chris. He glared at Nick across the table
Good little brother. — Brigid Kemmerer

So yesterday,' said Gabriel. 'Remember when I flipped your tray?'
'No. I forgot all about it.'
'Totally didn't know you'd have soup on there. Jesus, I didn't even know the cafeteria sold - — Brigid Kemmerer

Give me the gun." Michael put a hand out, his voice soft.
Tension rode on the sunlight as she listened to Hunter's breathing shake.
"It's okay," said Michael. "You don't want to do this."
Inch by inch, Hunter lowered the gun into Michael's palm, finally letting go.
Michael didn't move. "You alright?"
Hunter nodded.
"Good." Michael wrapped his hand around the hilt.
Then he lifted it, cocked the hammer, and put the barrel against Hunter's forehead. "Now where the f*** are my brothers? — Brigid Kemmerer

Nick," he said. "I think I'm going to need you to bite my arm."
"I think I'm going to need you to run that by me again. — Brigid Kemmerer

His smile turned into a grin. He looked down at his tray and shoveled rice onto his fork. "You guys hitting that party tonight?"
"Which one?" Becca said drily. "We try to make the circuit."
He smiled in a way that said he saw right through her. "Well - and I want to make sure I get this straight - Monica said Claire said her boyfriend's best friend's brother was home from college with that skank Melissa - "
"No," said Becca sharply. "We're not. — Brigid Kemmerer

Yeah, Birkenstock. If you want to get worked up about something, why don't you take a look in the empty fridge? — Brigid Kemmerer

She held his eyes. "Truth."
"How did Taylor get you to that party, really?" He gave her a quick once-over. "Especially looking like that."
She shifted to look out at the darkness. "I changed my mind. Dare."
Gabriel slid his cell phone out of his picket and held it out. "Okay. Here. I dare you to call your father and tell him you're sitting in a dark parking lot with me."
"Ooooh." She glared up at him without any real malice. "I don't think I like this game."
He smiled. "Come on, pony up. — Brigid Kemmerer

He offered to make-out with Hunter if it would prove that he's ok with me being gay."
"Hmm," said Adam. "Yeah I think I need to see proof."
"Shut up."
"Tell him it has to be shirtless. Wait, let me get my phone out- — Brigid Kemmerer

Michael always said if he could get them to eighteen without going to jail or getting a girl pregnant he'd consider it a success. — Brigid Kemmerer

Michael will go ballistic if you start a fire up here again." "Michael needs to switch to decaf. — Brigid Kemmerer

You're going to break my heart. I can feel it. — Brigid Kemmerer

So, Chris," he said. "You couldn't make a smaller cut?"
Nick's eyes were closed, but he smiled."Chris asked me to bite him first."
Gabriel gave him a disguested look."You are one sick bastard."
"I was desperate." Chris smiled, too, but then he dropped it. "Desperate people do crazy things. — Brigid Kemmerer

He moved like a jungle cat, all purposeful, calculated motion - wrapped up in fluid grace. — Brigid Kemmerer

Under the bludgeonings of chance, my head is bloody but unbowed.' In other words, life has a solid right hook, but it's not going to take me down. — Brigid Kemmerer

Words, not hands,' said Layne. She poked Gabriel with a fork. 'I think you need a T shirt that says that.'
He leaned in close. 'Give me five minutes and I bet I can change your mind. — Brigid Kemmerer

You're so damn worried about what everyone else wants. Well, you know what, Nick? You're going to disappoint people sometimes. You just are. And you know what else? They're either going to get over it or they're not. If they don't, it sucks. But it's not going to kill them, and it's sure not going to kill you. — Brigid Kemmerer

And on the other long side, completely alone, sat Becca's father.
The Guide.
"Call me Bill," he'd said.
Yeah, Gabriel had a few ideas of what to call him. — Brigid Kemmerer

Hey, little brother." Gabriel came back through the door and flopped on the bed, drawing his legs up to sit against the wall. "Girls are more likely to stay if you don't fight with them. — Brigid Kemmerer

Nick jabbed him in the arm with his fork. "What's up with you? Usually you don't shut up about my crap cooking."
"Maybe I don't want to hurt your feelings."
Chris snorted, finally looking up from the plate. "That'll be the day. — Brigid Kemmerer

Hunter wondered if there was any possible way he could have made this interaction more awkward.
Here. Let me give you a concussion and then scare you. — Brigid Kemmerer

When Chris was ten, we pushed him down the stairs. This was twice as entertaining. — Brigid Kemmerer

You know," he said by way of greeting, "the night I caught you with Layne, I called you a future felon. I didn't realize you'd make good on that prediction so quickly."
"That night you dragged Layne out of my driveway, I called you an asshole. Guess we were both right. — Brigid Kemmerer

I'm not waiting for you to fuck up." Adam paused. "Just because you can't trust everyone doesn't mean you can't trust anyone. — Brigid Kemmerer

If your whole life is in those boxes, Hunter, I want you to hold on to all of it. — Brigid Kemmerer

You're probably thinking I owe you my life."[Chris]
"No." she [Becca] snapped.
"Just sixty bucks."
"You charge for the hero act?" [Chris] — Brigid Kemmerer

It means my luck sucks," she said. "It was nice dating a guy wo treated me like a friend instead of a blow-up doll."
"You were the one trying to unzip my pants in the truck!"
"Yeah, well, I thought you weren't interested. I didn't realize that your divining rod just pointed into a different direction."
"You're killing me," he said. But it sounded like he was smiling. — Brigid Kemmerer

His expression changed, and he took a step back. He looked away. "When you said it was broken, you were just being-"
"No! It is. My phone. Broken." Now she sounded like Yoda on crack. — Brigid Kemmerer

Scared of storms?"
She jumped. The voice had come from behind her, and she forced her hands to her sides, ready to feign nonchalance. "No," she lied, starting to turn. "I'm just - "
Face-to-face with hotness.
Her tongue stumbled for a minute. She'd seen the Merrick twins around school, of course. But catching a glimpse down the hall wasn't the same as being six inches away from one of them, getting an eyeful of the way his long-sleeve tee clung to muscled shoulders, or of the faint shadow of stubble along his jaw, or the depth of blue in his eyes.
Eyes that studied her a little too closely just now, a spark of amusement there. — Brigid Kemmerer

Jesus, I wish I could stop fucking crying. So gay, right?'
Hunter put a hand on his shoulder. 'Don't do that to yourself, Nick. — Brigid Kemmerer

Could we report Tyler for having a gun?" she said.
"He's over eighteen," said Chris. "It's probably legal."
"It's not legal for him to be shooting at me," she snapped. — Brigid Kemmerer

His grandparents lived on an old farm. Like he should have considered that psycho teenage girls might be leaving tainted steaks for his dog to find. If you hurt him, I'll kill you. — Brigid Kemmerer

He put up with her whining until she was almost sick of herself, and then he called her on her bullshit. — Brigid Kemmerer

His door opened, and Michael filled the doorway.
Gabriel yanked the headphones out of his ears, but music still poured out against his comforter. "Ever hear of knocking?"
He wanted his voice to be sharp, but he couldn't generate the usual anger.
He's not worthless. And you're out of line.
"I did knock," said Michael. "Three times. — Brigid Kemmerer

I think this is the first time we all have a reason to stay.' He paused. 'You're dating a girl who left her kid with you, Michael. — Brigid Kemmerer

She hit him. Hard. Right in the face ...
"Holy shit," said Quinn. "Would it be wrong if I applaud? — Brigid Kemmerer

I came to apologize for my dickhead brother."
He took another bite of his apple, his eyes intent on Becca.
"And to thank Becky for last night."
"Becca," she snapped.
He smiled.
"I know."
Oh. Oh.
Kemmerer, Brigid (2012-04-24). Storm (Elemental Book 1) (Kindle Locations 811-814). Kensington Publishing Corp. Kindle Edition. — Brigid Kemmerer

Be a shadow, Hunter. Can you be a shadow? It was one of the first things he'd learned from his father.
He's been six. — Brigid Kemmerer

So let me get this straight." ... "He threw the note at Tommy and then told him to fuck off? Or do I have it backwards?"
"I'm detecting some sarcasm."
"And then got himself sent the principal's office because he was ready to defend your honor?"
"Quinn."
"Her friend waved a hand. "No, I think you might be on to something. This is clearly an elaborate plot to screw with you. He asks you out, he defends you from that meathead - what next?" Quinn's eyes flashed wide in mock surprise. "Crap, Bex, do you think he will do something truly horrible like buy you flowers? — Brigid Kemmerer

Mr. Merrick, I'd like to speak with you.
Mr. Merrick. He hated when teachers called him that, like he was an old man stopping by to learn a few math tricks. — Brigid Kemmerer

You want to know what I believe? I believe in fate, but I also believe in free will. Meaning, there's a path, but we're free to veer away from it. The only problem is that there's no way to know whose path we're following on any given moment. Our own? Our fate's? Other people are on their on paths, too. What happens when we intersect? What happens when someone else wipes our path clean, and we're left with no road to follow? Is that fate? Is that when free will kicks in? Is the path there, but invisible?
Who the hell knows? — Brigid Kemmerer

And Gabriel Merrick. I'd hoped your recent brush with the law would keep you out of my office for a while.'
'I'm happy to leave. — Brigid Kemmerer

And she remembered the way he had gone from total control to utter disaster with the flip of a switch, like watching an intricate glass sculpture shatter into a thousand pieces - only to pull together again until you could barely see the seams. — Brigid Kemmerer

A knock sounded on his bedroom wall.
"Black," he called. — Brigid Kemmerer

Michael walked to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. "You all right?"
I made my twin brother hate me.
I can't try out for basketball.
I gave my number to some girl who thinks I'm a thug.
Gabriel looked back at his textbook. "Yeah. Fine. — Brigid Kemmerer

Becca ~ Do something! she cried. Can't you build a wall of ice, or ... -
Chris ~ Are you kidding? he said. I'm not an X-Man! — Brigid Kemmerer

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. — Brigid Kemmerer

A girl on the cheer squad had once asked Gabriel if having a twin was like looking in a mirror all the time. He'd asked her if being a cheerleader was like being an idiot all of the time - but really, it was a good question. — Brigid Kemmerer

Because it's easier to turn off worries in the dark.
Nick met his eyes in the darkness. "Yours or Mine?"
"Both. — Brigid Kemmerer

She was starting to get a little breathless from trailing Casper, though the guys weren't having any trouble. "How far have we gone? Like three miles?"
Gabriel gave her a look. "Like one."
So she needed more cardio. — Brigid Kemmerer

I shouldn't have hit him." She flexed her fingers. "My hand still hurts."
Chris smiled. "Oh, no, I loved that part. — Brigid Kemmerer

Hey, Law-and-Order," said Gabriel. "Let him go. — Brigid Kemmerer

She almost wished she smoked, so she could lie on the car's hood, flick a lighter, and make up names for the constellations while nicotine burned her lungs. — Brigid Kemmerer

I figured we'd catch you with a girl one day, but this isn't quite the scenario I imagined. — Brigid Kemmerer

So she doesn't like the rain," said Gabriel.
Nick smiled. "I kind of like the irony." ...
Chris sighed. "No one likes the rain."
"You do," said Nick. He flung the lighter back to his brother. Gabriel caught it. "Maybe we should put some money on it, see how long it takes Chris to get her wet. — Brigid Kemmerer

That was the worst kind of hypocrisy, right? Hating someone for something you hated about yourself? — Brigid Kemmerer

Gabriel's going to be pissed."
It took Nick a second to answer. "Why?"
"He'll have to break his leg so people won't be able to tell you apart. — Brigid Kemmerer

If we take out one, we have to take out all. We can't risk collateral damage."
"Say 'collateral damage' again. That sounded sexy. — Brigid Kemmerer

When you're sure of what you want, I'll be right here. — Brigid Kemmerer

If I find out you laid a hand on my daughter
"
"What?" said Gabriel. "You'll stand here and bitch about it?"
"Stop it!" cried Layne, dragging his coat and backpack from the kitchen. Her dad took a step forward.
"I'll have you arrested and charged with trespassing and statutory rape."
"Then I'm going to need another fifteen minutes. — Brigid Kemmerer

The first day you meet you are friends, the next day you are brothers. — Brigid Kemmerer