Song Said to Have Been Sung by Sam page 9.
Although petulance was much more gratifying when it could be put to good use annoying others, Darlene made a practice of refraining from letting her nasty side show. Anyone who has a sister can appreciate the inevitability of nastiness popping up whenever one does not expect it. However Darlene remained calm, cool and collected. Sooner or later, she realized, Cog would let the cat out of the bag so transparently that even Will the Wee Wizard would be bound to notice.
Cog's vanity was supposed to be confined to the realm of the virtual but somewho it seemed more real. Cybers could not possess emotion could they? Cog merely acted as if he did, Darlene tried to convince herself. Then it struck her. cog was very much like Will. At the risk of losing everything, Cog had to let someone know how clever he was or he wouldn't feel clever at all. Darlene surmised that sometimes Cog was more cat than dog but at other times, he was more human than the most neurotic human being who had ever lived.
"You must have loved the way, I made your father's kisses blow in the wind and fall right into your hands." Cog simply could not resist the opportunity to show off even though it could cost him mightily. Of course what made it more amenable, at least from Cog's point of view, what that he loved doing that sort of mischievous thing and in turn he imagined that everyone else must love it too and would applaud his talent.
I don't think so, Darlene decided. She was simmering now but was determined to avoid coming to a slow boil. Carefully controlled anger served her purpose.
The school bell rang. Hurry and scurry prevailed. Will and Darlene said the briefest of goodbyes to their classmates.
"All aboard!"
Darlene was confused. She couldn't quite figure out whether she had actually just heard someone say All Aboard or whether she had merely thought it because she was reminded of her father's kisses. She looked over at Will. He did not appear to notice anything out of the ordinary. Darlene then had the answer that she had been seeking or at least she was fairly certain that she did. Though a certainty certainly seemed to be forming, she still was quite one hundred percent sure. When Cog had mentioned his corruption of her father's kisses she was reminded her of the conductor shouting his command for everyone not yet on the train and wishing to do so to get aboard lickety split.
"If you get a moment, do send me an email," Cog said upon departing.
When Cog spoke, she knew for sure that she had not been dreaming. No one else had noticed Cog's appearance for they surely would have raised an eyebrow or two and might even have raised a hue and cry if they had. As she traipsed off to class, Darlene dragged her feet. She did not anticipate school being all that much fun for nothing, it seems, could match the excitement of the journey to school. She was wrong. Everything, even the spelling bee, was wonderful. She did have moments when her thoughts strayed, especially when she began to form a strong assumption that she was into something that Will in spite of all his wizardry had not twigged to.