“I want you to choose me, Addie,” he whispers. “I want this to be real.”

“He starts with the character's eyes and by the time he moves to her hair, a mess of blonde curls, I realize he's drawing me. "Superheroes. You can finally have those super powers you want.”

“Thank you seems like too little...or maybe too much, since he couldn't possibly understand how much I needed to hear what he just said. How much I needed to know that even without my ability, I am someone worth knowing. That every little and ridiculous quality I exhibit makes me who I am.”

“He shrugs. "Doesn't help to waste my time thinking about would've-beens."Laila whispers, "He says to the girl with a mind full of them.”

“Our relationship feels different. Like someone has taken my favorite sweater and thrown it in the dryer and it doesn't fit right anymore. I want to pull and tug on it until it feels comfortable again.”

“Your eyelashes make mine want to commit suicide from shame.”

“When I read, I feel emotion all on my own. Emotion no living person is making me feel.”