“She kept walking. The very small, brave part of her brain knew that this would be her one chance. If she turned around, she would lose it.”

“I knew her hair and her coloring and her shapes would be different next time, but the way she wore her body would keep on.”

“She existed in her friends; there she was. All the parts of herself she'd forgotten. She knew herself best when she was with them.”

“She'd put the envelope Tibby had left for her unopened in her underwear drawer. At first it was so she would see it there, and then she tried to cover it so she wouldn't see it there, but it turned out her underwear was too flimsy to cover anything.”

“She hadn't chosen the brave life. She'd chosen the small, fearful one.”

“Lena remembered herself in all the old familiar things they said. She existed in her friends; there she was. All the parts of herself she'd forgotten. She knew herself best when she was with them.”

“She knew whose love she doubted. It wasn't her parents' and it wasn't her friends: It was her own. ”