“And even now, even after all I put him through, he's saving me. I've been trying to find my way into the light for so long, and he just comes along and takes me there.”

“I sort of lean back into him. Like I'm melting into him. And in that instant, I finally know what it feels like to be whole. I've been wishing for my life to get better. Now I realize that James can take me to a place where everything's the way it should be. He can definitely take me there.”

“For one day there will be nothing left, yet we will have something. -me-I tried to wait for my life to begin. Something has to happen. Like an amazing boy. I know he's out there. I just have to find him.”

“Tobey puts the CD on. Then he comes over and hugs me. I lean my head on his chest.'I want to know everything about you,' he whispers.”

“Tell me about it. It’s so hard to deal with a single parent. They take out all their anxiety on you. It’s like,she’s so angry all the time. And I didn’t even do anything!”“That’s so wrong.”“Yeah.”“Where’s your dad?”“I don’t know. My mom had me when she was still in high school, so . . .”“You don’t see him at all?”“No, and I don’t want to. I have no interest in maintaining a relationship with someone who didn’t loveme enough to stick around.”

“Physical attraction that strong is addictive. And knowing that kind of magic isn’t just a fantasy makes me want to find it again. But what about being with someone who makes me a better person? What about sharing my life with someone who adores me as much as I adore him, whom I can always count on, who helps me find my way when I’m lost?”

“He has to wair for another load of laundry to get done. So I wait with him. I lean back against the couch, sitting really low the way I like. I scrunch over and put my head on his shoulder. We sit like that for a long time. Watching other people's laundry dry. <3”