“You're swimming so hard in this ocean. Don't you know if you float, it will always hold you up?”

“It's so awful when you need something from someone else, even though you're not sure what it is, and then you don't get it.”

“and it is hard to let go, to imagine alternatives, but you are bold with unknowing, you are ready to explore.”

“I know—better than anyone—that once someone’s made up her mind to leave you, there’s nothing you can do to make her stay.”

“...because there will never be any boy's wrist to tie the balloon of your helium heart to (it has floated high far away from the heavy stone of that unnameable boy in chicago), you would never be with someone and then someone else, and you would definitely never be someone to someone else's else.”

“the goal is to keep yourself moving, remember? don't linger. don't hover. you are not going to stay.”

“they have seen the likes of you before, they may be intrigued by the looks of you, but they know that you-like everyone else-will leave them in the end.”