“You didn't know that... that my whole world stopped when I first saw you smile.”

“I know. But maybe that’s what growing up gets you. You get better. You stop waiting for the bad stuff to happen and maybe enjoy the good, you know?”

“That smile, right there?”“Yeah?”“I’ve known you my entire life. You only smile like that for me.”

“I love you. I want to shout it sometimes. I know you worry about our letters and texts getting read--shades of WWII, haunting us still, I guess, and I'm well aware that nothing's safe on the internet. I worry too. You need to know that when I say it, when I ask you to say it, it's because my lungs feel full of dark water, and seeing it or writing it lets me breathe.”

“Oh—and you need to work on making my opinion more important than Josh’s, too. I know it’s a stretch—he’s your most intimate relationship to date, but when you’re balls deep in my ass, I’d prefer you not be wondering if it counts as a workout.”

“The whole world heard you tell poor Angie Robinson that “Chris Edwards was your heart”—man, it’s one of the most fucking romantic things I’ve ever heard.”

“Green smiled at me, all that compassion in his eyes, and he cupped my face in his hands, asthough it were delicate, and precious. "You must never leave me,” he said solemnly. "You may take asmany lovers as you want, but you must promise to always be here to make me feel like I can do all thatneeds to be done.”