“I want things to be like they were before...but even better. I want you to not leave this time...please don't break my heart.”

“You deserve better, Keara."I know I deserve better. But my fucked up heart and mind keep telling me that I don't want better. I want Ruly.”

“My heart is breaking," she says. "I want to be strong for you right now but the thought of you leaving is killing me inside.”

“I haven't tried this with anyone...signifacant in a long time. It's never worked before." "You haven't had sex before?" "I have. But not with anyone i cared about or...knew. One-time things. That's all." "That's all-ever?" "It's not like they 've been tons of them. There were more before, in high school, than there have been the last three years." "Lucas? I said yes, and i meant it. I want this-as long as you have protection, i mean. I want this, with you. So this is okay. Please don't ask me to say stop." "I want it to be better than okay. You deserve better than okay." "You 're shaking, Jacqueline. Do you want to-" "No." "I'm just a little cold." "Better?" "Yes." "You know you can say it. But i'm not asking you to, this time." "Good." His earlier hesitation gone, he removed the last scraps of fabric we were wearing, fixed the condom in place, kissed me fiercely and rocked into me.”

“I am going to give you my heart now," I whispered. "Please don't break it again.”

“Kill me then. A true death. Please. You can't leave me like this.""Like This" had been broken, bloody and violated in unspeakable ways. "Anything but that. You'll recover. One day you will even be happy again.""I don't want to recover. I want to cease to exist, now and forever. That's the only way to end my torment.”