illinois is the reason i wanted to get into space in the first place . wow , i said , and the word had slipped out before id even registered how impressive that really was . i went to my closet in search of the sleeping bag i 'd bought to go camping last summer . he looked at her , a grin tipping the sides of his mouth . `` duck your head , '' he said , barely giving me time to react before he swung open the door and chucked me into the passenger seat . 