“Connor, you don’t understand. I’llfall. I always fall and I don’t do it gracefully. I land hardand I usually break something. I’m a walking disaster just waitingto happen. Don’t you understand?” Well hell, maybe I’m not talkingabout ice skating either." -Nina Ryan,”

“Come on Nina, you can’t avoid doing things just because you’re afraid you will get hurt.”“I’ll fall. I always fall and I don’t do it gracefully. I land hard and I usually break something. I’m a walking disaster just waiting to happen. Don’t you understand?”“I understand Nina, but this time it’s different.”“Why? How could this time possibly be any different than the others?”“It’s different, because this time I’m here to catch you.”

“I don’t understand you, Pigeon. I thought I knew women, but you’re so fucking confusing I don’t know which way is up.”“I don’t understand you, either. You’re supposed to be Eastern’s ladies’ man. I’m not getting the full freshmen experience they promised in the brochure,” I teased.”

“Listen to me. I’m shy. I’m not stupid. I can’t meet people’s eyes. I don’t know if you understand what that’s like. There’s a whole world going on around me, I’m aware of that. It’s not because I don’t want to look at you, Lucinda. It’s that I don’t want to be seen.”

“How do you know?”“Well, I don’t, I’m making this up, but I bet I’m right.”

“I understand that you don’t want to marry me,” I said. “I mean, I don’t know why, since I’m simply delightful to be around. But to each his own taste.”