“This moment was written in the stars, and it is everything he thought it would be.”

“It was almost as if my screwing everything up was beyond my control, destined, written in the stars.”

“And he, in his way, talked with her about everything, and shared with her everything, he thought would not be too painful for her, even though she was gladly willing to pay the pain levy, which was sometimes unbearable, only so that he would not for a moment stop the flow of his talk with her, so he would not filter or protect her or think twice.”

“He treated the stars as though they were love songs written to him by God.”

“And it didn’t matter how many songs or poems had already been written about them, because whenever he thought about the girl, the stars shone brighter. As if she were the one keeping them illuminated.”

“I’m taking you out.” He winks at her. “I have to. It’s been written in the stars.”