“It was like a curse. He was her antidote. She was his poison.”

“The Board would like to come back and see you tomorrow, Ariana,' she mimicked. 'Any more questions?''Yes,' she answered in the Warden's Irish accent, 'I'd just like to know why I'm such an arsehole.”

“There were two choices in life. Survive or succumb. And most people weren’t even conscious of the path they chose. Because they chose for all the wrong reasons. Love, principles, dreams, desire. The world hadn’t changed. It had always been survival of the fittest.”

“In the Community everything was black and white. Here, romantic relationships took on shades of grey; they were full of uncertainty, maybes, broken promises.”

“He nodded slowly. “Okay.” He squeezed her shoulder gently, then leaned forward until his lips were almost touching her ear. “But for what it's worth...I'm not sorry.” And then he turned his head and kissed her. It was a dirty trick, right in the middle of the break room, where anyone could walk in. But she couldn't help kissing him back, smelling his scent, familiar as always, but now somehow new—it made her shiver. But when she finally leaned into him, to steady herself, to let him steady her, he wrapped his hands around her upper arms and moved her back, just an inch. Then he placed one final, close-mouthed kiss on her primed lips. “Have a nice class, Emma.” Then he turned and walked away. She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. Then opened and closed it again. Giving up, she crossed her arms, rubbing the skin that Noah had just touched. And she was ten minutes late for class.”

“He smiled down into her eyes and she looked right at him and she knew him. When hadn’t she known him? With a little sigh of acceptance, she moved into his arms, meeting his eager kiss with a mouth that was just as greedy as him”

“The people in your life are like the pillars on your porch.Sometimes they hold you up, and sometimes they lean on you.Sometimes it's enough to know they are standing by.”