“I was still mad at her, but it felt different when I could see her than when I couldn't. Watching her took some of that anger away.”

“When we pull away we’re both breathing hard, but I don’t think she’s thinking about her aunt or her mom anymore. “Damn I’m good.”

“When someone is important to you, you take care of them. You try to take their pain away, pull it into yourself if you can, because it's easier to fight her demons for her than to risk someone scarring her.”

“Here was my epicness, because despite how things turned out, I wouldn't be anywhere else. I wouldn't want anyone else to take care of her. To watch her sleep.”

“Her eyes don't leave her book, but I see her smile. It's like the inside of my chest hiccups or something at the sight.”

“I let her catch me. I like it when she catches me. But last summer, she stopped chasing. It sucks.”

“Still I pulled her into a hug, because I knew she let me off the hook on purpose and yeah, I'm a guy and I love my mom. So shoot me. I'm man enough to hug her without feeling like a mama's boy.”