How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
I looked back at Brooke. She was staring at my Hellboy poster like she hadn't seen it a thousand times. Her lip was trembling. Freaky or not, severed or otherwise, Brooke was my friend. (4.115)
Sam may love his friends, but he's still human. He's clearly freaked out by Brooke's head and tempted to not want to deal with the situation. Still, he's loyal enough to recognize that even as a head, she is still a person with feelings.
Quote #2
Like Ramon and I had ever been normal. I'd always been relegated to the misfit fringe, as if the other kids could sense something innately off about me. Turns out they were right. I was different. I didn't really mind being on the outskirts of popularity, but I'd never quite figured out why Ramon had ended up there. The only thing strange about him was his association with me. (9.69)
There's nothing like dumb high school social politics to draw misfits together. What's awesome is that even though Ramon could clearly have been Mr. Popular himself, he chose a lifelong friendship with Sam over a series of fleeting admirers. Way to go, Ramon.
Quote #3
I had some pretty good friends. I couldn't be too terrible if they were sticking around. (9.84)
Is it possible that Sam's acceptance of Brooke after the rolling heads incident is one reason why she and the gang stick up for him once they learn his true identity? Obviously, this bizarre bunch has each other's backs.
Quote #4
My muscles let the secret go, and in its place, I found a bone-aching sadness. Brooke was gone. Not completely, sure, but a talking head couldn't fill the girl-sized hole in my life. I would never see her at work. I would never see her change and grow into the devastating woman we all knew she'd be. (15.66)
Brooke's talking head has to be super disorienting. On one hand, one of Sam's best friends is dead, but on the other, she's still present and can communicate in some form. Nonetheless, Sam clearly becomes overwhelmed here with the truth that the Brooke they once knew is never coming back.
Quote #5
"That," Ramon said, "might be about the funniest thing I've ever heard." He shoved a spoonful of Chunky Monkey ice cream into his mouth, chewing as he talked. He offered the next bite to Brooke, who was positioned on the edge of the kitchen table so Frank could brush out her hair. (17.1)
What a touching picture of friendship: A bunch of guys sitting around eating ice cream and doing their dead friend's hair. All together now—aw.
Quote #6
Brooke closed her eyes in contentment. I hadn't really thought of it, but this was probably the first prolonged contact she'd had since she'd died. People, even reanimated ones, need to be touched. (17.16)
Ever consider the lack of personal contact paranormal creatures experience? It's got to stink living in social isolation or basically just having people think you're weird all the time. Clearly, Brooke has missed being human.
Quote #7
"I only work here because of Brooke and Sammy." Ramon picked at the edges of a rogue ketchup packet. "Now…" He didn't know how to finish that sentence. Sam was gone, and Brooke wouldn't be back at work ever. (22.3)
Sam's ordeal with Douglas definitely puts his friendship with the rest of the Plumpy's gang to the test, especially when it comes to Ramon facing a long future of being at a dead-end job without his buddies.
Quote #8
He wiped some leftover powdered cheese on Sam's couch. He had decided that if he did enough stuff to piss Sam off, then Sam would have to stay alive if only so he could yell at Ramon. So, far he had messed up Sam's CD collection and eaten his junk food. It was a good start. (22.84)
Ramon's logic in dealing with Sam's absence is fascinating. Our guess, though, is that Sam's CD collection and powdered cheese on the couch are the least of his worries now that the Douglas Affair is officially concluded.
Quote #9
Sitting back down with Brooke and the girls was unbearable. Sam needed his help. Ramon was useless here […] He only had to look at Brooke to remember how bad it could go. But what was he supposed to do? It was Sammy. (22.146-147)
Watching Ramon go from goofy burger chef who sings show tunes and pelts potatoes at illegally parked cars to hero of the day is pretty satisfying for us readers. Even if he does potentially have to spend the rest of his life as a were-bear.
Quote #10
She leaned down and pulled a strip of cloth out of her bowling bag. Frank had put it there to cushion her neck. I guess we didn't need it anymore. She wrapped the strip around the new cut on my elbow, tying it into a neat bandage. Then she reached up and wiped my cheeks. I hadn't realized that I was crying. (31.79)
With Douglas dead, Sam's got one last thing to wrap up: putting Brooke's head to rest with her body. It's a touching scene and it seems like this is goodbye—but then, just a few pages later, Brooke comes to Sam as a spirit and agrees to join Ashley as one of his guides. He's not rid of her yet. Phew.