Simone Elkeles

“Unfortunately, real life can’t be wrapped up with a nice little bow.”

“Don't be afraid to be unique. Love yourself before you love another.”

“You're right, I haven't walked in your shoes. But you haven't walked in mine, either.”

“Great minds think alike.”

“Sometimes I think Ben is right, that the fantasy world is better because reality sucks...but then I look at Nikki and I believe that we can beat the odds.”

“Sometimes things are better off forgotten.”

“We need to look back sometimes and realize the past taught us to appreciate our future.”

“You make me believe in love, which I'd give up on. Thank you for proving to me it's not just a fairy tale.”

“I’ll always love you, no matter what happens, okay?”

“Nikki looks at me, confused. “What’s wrong?”I’ve got a gun stashed in my closet. “Nothin’.”

“I have trust issues.”“I know. I’m on a mission to cure you of that.”

“A text pops up on the screen. It’s from Luis. I can’t help but grin when I read his perfectly thought-out message.Luis: Hey”

“Listen, I don’t know what the hell happened between you and Marco. To be honest I don’t really want to know, ’cause if I did I’d probably want to kick the shit outta him.”“I don’t need you to protect me.”“What if I want to?”

“You look like a hot tamale.”“That’s not really a compliment.”

“When they’re together, the world could fall apart around them and they’d never notice or care as long as they have each other.About Alex and Brittany.”

“I have to protect you,” he says softly.”

“Ben walks in the room and asks, “What were you guys doing?” Nikki says “Nothing” at the same time I say, “Your sister and I were just makin’ out.”

“The percentage of couples who stay together after high school is, like, less than five percent, you guys.”

“Carlos, are we in complete understanding with each other?”“Yeah,” I say. “As long as it’s not in your house and you don’t know about it, you’re okay with us messin’ around.”“I know you’re joking with me. You are joking with me, aren’t you?”“Maybe.”

“What’s with all those tattoos? Makes you look like a hooligan.”“I suspect I am a hooligan.”

“Sylvia grabs my sleeve. “He’s a looker.”“I know. The problem is, he knows it, too.”

“There’s always time for arguin’ when you’re a Fuentes.”

“What are you boys doing?” she asks, as if we’re still little kids messing around.“Arguin’,” Carlos says matter-of-factly.”

“cause if you were my girlfriend and a stud like me was livin’ in your house, I’d kiss you in front of the guy every chance I got as a reminder.”

“The Professor doesn’t have a problem being called Dick? If my name was Richard, I’d go by Richard or Rich . . . not Dick. Hell, I’d even settle for being called Chard.”

“She ignores me, so I cup my hands over my mouth and do something I haven’t done in years— barnyard sounds.”

“Three things Marco taught me today race through my mind: boys will lie to your face just to have sex with you, don’t trust any boy who says I love you, and never date a boy who lives on the south side of Fairfield.”

“Whoa, who was that?”“Madison Stone,” Kiara mutters.“Introduce me to her.”“Why?”Because I know it’ll annoy the shit out of you.”

“A cell phone rings. I can feel the vibration through Brittany’s pants. “It’s hers,” I say.“Answer it,” Isa Instructs.I already feel like I’ve kidnapped the girl. Now I’m gonna answer her cell? Shit. Rolling her a bit, I feel for the bulge in her back pocket. “Contesta,” Isa whispers loudly, this time in Spanish.“I am,” I hiss, my fingers clumsy as I fumble for the phone.“I’ll do it,” Paco says, leaning over the seats and reaching toward Brittany’s ass.I whack his hand away. “Get your hands off her.”“Geez, man, I was just tryin’ to help.”My response is a glare.”

“Tuck holds out his hand. "By the way, I don't think we've been formally introduced. I'm Tuck. You know, rhymes with luck.""And fuck," Carlos adds."Yep, that, too," Tuck says unfazed.”

“I let it all out--my mom's date,my dad's conversation,my confusion about it all.Caleb doesn't laugh,he doesn't pull away,he doesn't talk .. He just lets me be me.When I settle down,I lean back and witness the mess I've made on his shirt."I made ur shirt all gross," I say between sniffles."Forget the shirt.What's going on? I could.nt understand a word you mumbled into my chest." Now I'm half laughing and half crying.”

“I didn't like seeing you with him" he says. "I don't think I'd like seeing you with any other guy....beside me.”

“I’m not going anywhere until you hear me out.”Oh, please no. Anything except having to listen to her lecture. I push the button that calls the nurse.“Can we help you, Alex?” a voice bellows through the speaker.“I’m bein’ tortured.”

“When she wraps her arms around my neck, all I want to do is protect this girl for the rest of my life.”

“Is that your cheap way of telling me you want to kiss me?”He looks into my eyes, his dark gaze capturing mine. “Querida, I always want to kiss you.”

“I like that girl more than I can remember likin’ anything in my life. I’m not about to give her up. I’ll start carin’ about what other people think when I’m six feet under.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be a dickhead. Well, I did.”

“Luis is right there.” I point to the corner of the yard, where my little brother is the centre of attention doing imitations of barnyard animals. I have yet to inform him that talent isn’t as much of a chick magnet when you get into junior high.”

“You’ve got a big ego, Fuentes.”“That’s not all I’ve got.”

“I realise it’s going to happen. This girl of my dreams, this girl who is more like me than anyone I’ve ever met, wants to kiss me.”

“Thoughts of being a pirate and stealing her away to my ship race across my mind. Although I’m not a pirate, and she’s not my captured princess.”

“You were lookin’ at me like you wanted to kiss me.”I force a laugh. “Yeah, right,” I say sarcastically.“Nobody’s watchin’ if you want to, you know, try it. Not to brag, but I’m somewhat of an expert.”

“You can’t keep her.”I know that. But I’m not ready to give her up just yet.”

“Don’t try and make me feel better, Alex. I hate you.”“I hate you, too.”

“Say it again,” he says.“That whole drawn-out speech?” I remember something about a solar system, but I’m too light-headed to recite the entire thing all over again.He steps closer. “No. The part about you fallin’ for me.”

“I, _______________________, certify that by signing below I agree to abide by the rules outlined in the REACH Handbook. I understand the rules, which have been properly explained to me by a REACH staff member. I further acknowledge that if I disregard the rules for any reason I will be subject to disciplinary action which may include in-house detention, additional counseling, and/or expulsion from the REACH program.What it really means: I, __________________, sign my freedom over to REACH staff. By signing this piece of paper, I certify that my life will be dictated by other people and I'll live a miserable existence while I'm in Colorado.”

“Fuck you," Alex growls. He shoves back his chair and walks away."That's the old Alex I used to know! I understand that language loud and clear," I call after him.”

“If you sprinkle when you tinkle please be neat and wipe the seat.”

“Oh, God. I'm in big trouble. Because I'm staring. I can't keep my eyes from ogling his chiseled triceps and biceps and every other "eps ' he has. The butterflies in my stomach have just multiplied tenfold as my wandering gaze meets his.”

“—Ser judía es más algo de tu corazón que de tu mente. Para algunos, ser judío es seguir estrictamente las leyes y las costumbres de nuestros antepasados. Para otros, es ser parte de una comunidad. La religión es muy personal. Siempre estaré allí para ti si quieres o lo necesitas. Puedes elegir adoptar el judaísmo o decidir que tu vida no lo necesita. Nadie puede imponer la religión en ti o ésta no será real.”