“What if he really has given up? What am I supposed to do ten?Keep trying until you have no more chances left. And even then keep going.”

“Keep trying until you have no more chances left.”

“Was there ever really a chance for us? What is down in the middle of him, his very center? Does he even have a center, or do you just cut away the layers, away, away, away, until you are left with nothing?”

“Do you want a ride home?""I rode my bike, and I don't really want to keep it here at the school.""I have a truck, it won't be a problem to throw it into the bed.""Well then, I suppose I don't really have an excuse to say no, do I?""I was going to hold your duffel hostage until you said yes anyway.""Now what has my duffel bag ever done to you?”

“The thing about a hero, is even when it doesn't look like there's a light at the end of the tunnel, he's going to keep digging, he's going to keep trying to do right and make up for what's gone before, just because that's who he is.”

“I think there’s nothing left for me. I don’t think that for everyone else.”“So what do they have that you don’t at this point?”I press my lips together. I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I don’t want to talk about how everyone has something even if they don’t really have it anymore, that what they had makes them strong enough for this, to keep going.”