Somehow, I can deal with seeing Mr. and Ms. Riordan, because they’ve never done anything to me directly. But Jake did. The guy who framed me and helped send me to juvenile detention — the absolute lowest point of my life, when I gave up hope that I’d ever get out — is getting a second chance.
-- Narrator - Nate (Part 1: Chapter 3)

Importance: Nate notes that Katherine, Jake’s mother, spends a good deal of time at the bar at the country club. He does not mind seeing her, or her husband, even though Nate thinks Scott is a jerk, because they never did anything directly to him. Nate resents Jake, however, because Jake helped get Nate in trouble with the law when Nate was doing his best to survive. Nate was never given a second chance, but Jake is getting a second chance.

The word is written on Phoebe’s left arm in what looks...
-- Narrator - Addy (Part 1: Chapter 12)