JM Darhower

“Dia wrinkled her nose. “Gross. You need a decent girl, one that can straighten you out.”“I don't need to be straightened out,” Carmine said. “Why drown in love when you can have so much fun swimming in lust?”

“Same difference,” he said. “The South lost and the North won. Abraham Lincoln came and gave the Emancipation Proclamation.”“The Gettysburg Address,” Mrs. Anderson said. “The Emancipation Proclamation was delivered six months before the battle.”He gave an exaggerated sigh. “Who's giving the report here?”She waved her hand. “Proceed then.”“Like I said, the North won. The slaves were all freed. Hurrah, hurrah. The end.”

“Ti amo, mia bella ragazza. Per sempre." "Sempre?" She asked. Cracking a smile, he brushed his finger softly across her lips. "Always and forever”

“Can I keep you? he whispered, laughing and pulling away from her as soon as the words came out. "Whats wrong with me? I'm quoting Casper.”

“I can't save the world, Haven, but I'll save you... even it's the last thing I do.”

“They're titles other people give us. They don't make us who we are. If you're just a slave, then I'm nothing more than a Principe. Is that all I am, Haven? A Mafia Prince?"No, of course not."That's what I thought," he said. "Just because some people see us that way doesn't mean it's what we are. We'll overcome our labels together. They don't matter, they don't make us who we are. We make us who are are. Fuck those motherfuckers."She laughed. "When did you get so smart?""Baby, I've always been smart," he said playfully. "I'm just lazy as hell and rarely show it.”

“He bowed jokingly, and everyone laughed as Mrs.Anderson shook her head. "Did you even read the material?""of course I did.""Who was the leader of the North?""Lincoln.""No, he was the president.""Yes, which means he was the fucking leader of everyone."-- Carmine”

“He ran the back of his fingers along her flushed cheek. His touch was soft, and she leaned her head in his direction. “My beautiful girl,” he said.She took in his expression. “You think I’m beautiful?”“I don’t think you’re beautiful, Haven,” he said. “I know you are.”

“How about we just be Haven and Carmine?” she suggested. “We don’t know the ending, but we can always hope for the best.”“I like that,” he said. “Besides, there’s a reason we don’t know how the story ends.”“Why?”“Because it doesn’t.”

“When you dream, you can go anywhere. I always go to the snow”

“Go for it, while you can. I know you have it in you. And I can't promise you'll get everything you want, but I can promise nothing will change if you don't try.”

“Nella vita: chi non risica, non rosica," he said finally, his voice quiet. "In life: nothing ventured, nothing gained. My mom used to tell us that. It's been a long time, but I can still hear her saying it.”

“You can play it safe, and I wouldn't blame you for it. You can continue as you've been doing, and you'll survive, but is that what you want? Is that enough?”

“Love is something that changes you, and if you really loved all the crap you say you loved. You'd never know who you were because you'd constantly be changing. Once you love, you love forever. You can't help it.”