“Because letting someone in close meant they could hurt you. I knew all about that kind of fear. I lived with it.”

“Sometimes it hurts to look at you,” I said. I loved that I could say that and he knew exactly what I meant.”

“But why do you want to talk to me?' He is going to say: 'Because you look so kind,' or 'Because you look so beautiful and kind,' or, subtly, 'Because you look as if you'll understand....' He says: 'Because I think you won't betray me.' I had meant to get this mean to talk to me and tell me all about it, and then be so devastatingly English that perhaps I should manage to hurt him a little in return for all the many times I've been hurt.... 'Because I think you won't betray me, because I think you won't betray me....' Now it won't be so easy.”

“Bren was the kind of best friend I dreamed about having when I was a little kid. I never knew you could have someone in your life who was pretty much on the same page about essentially everything.”

“Someone once told me that life changes, and you give up old dreams so that new ones can take their place. I held on to this dream [...] I kept it safe and close to my heart. I could never let go of it, because a part of me always knew you’d come back for it one day.”

“Good. Because I don't need protecting.""I knew you'd say that.But the thing is, sometimes you do. And sometimes I do. We're meant to protect each other, but not from everything. Not from the truth. That's what it means to love someone but let them be themselves.”