How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
Meet my future stepfather, also known as the low point of my day. His name is Carl, but we call him Bear. Two years ago, he was just this customer at the diner where my mom works. Now, somehow, Mom has a ring on her finger, and Bear lives here with us. (8.3)
If you had a stepdad-to-be like Bear, you'd be depressed too. The guy doesn't work, he's a jerk to his future stepkids…and he doesn't share his snacks. So, Rafe gets to come home from school every day and see this guy instead of his kind and loving mom. Double awesome.
Quote #5
If you've been reading carefully, you probably noticed a kind of pattern in my life. Just when things seem to be going okay… blah, blah, blah. (35.1)
Yeah, we did notice this pattern. Okay, so Rafe has given up playing the rule-breaking game, but then Miller the Killer comes along and snatches his Operation R.A.F.E. notebook away from him. Can't a kid get a break?
Quote #6
But here's the funny part. Even though I felt like I was still living in the Dark Ages, nobody seemed to notice. As far as Mom, and Jeanne, and even Donatello were concerned, I'd already turned over a whole new leaf. (38.11)
Rafe is trying to earn money to buy back his notebook pages from Miller and he's got a thousand other problems in his life, but he's keeping them all under wraps while he's trying desperately to appear totally normal to everyone else. For right now, it's working, but it's really stressing the kid out. Dark days, indeed.