“I'm a little mad. He shouldn't have said whatever he said to make you so upset. But we should try not to judge people based on one instance.”

“I don’t know, Laurel,” said David, and I loved how he said my name, like he enjoyed it.”

“I sat parked for a while in the parent pickup lot, watching a bunch of little kids run relays up and down the field. To be nine years old. To have life simply about family and friends and who was mad at who and which games you wanted to play at recess, and getting gold stars on spelling tests, an feeling that first crush.Laurel, you had everything back then, and you didn't even know it.”

“Keep in touch.I suddenly realized how annoying that expression was. Like, Now it's your job to stay in contact with me. It said, I'm really just too lazy.I started to write back, to keep in touch, but decided I'd be lazy as well.”

“I'm taking it day by day." I liked saying this. It was honest, short, and seemed to satisfy people.”

“Laurel, I hope you find something like this, a little self-destructive habit you can turn to every once in a while, when you’re tired of being good. It will keep you sane.”

“The only thing I knew for sure at that moment was that David would be back.If I was gone when that happened, would he leave again? For good?David, do you know that’s a chance I can’t take?”