I'm in full possession of my powers right now. Like lightening is shooting out of my fingertips. Like I'm channeling the soul of a Lucy Adler in an alternate dimension. One where beauty and sex drip off me all smooth and careless.
-- Lucy (chapter 1)

Importance: Lucy's skills on the basketball court are her major source of self-confidence, and the author describes eloquently how the sport makes her feel in this quote. She is a veritable superhero or magician when she is playing exceptionally well. The quote also highlights Lucy's priorities, however, with the mention of "beauty and sex." More than being a talented athlete, Lucy wants to be sexually attractive so that Percy will see her as more than just a friend.

It's not that she's dumb. It's that she's entirely uncurious, and I have no patience for the uncurious among us and I have no idea how Percy has patience for it...
-- Lucy (chapter 2)