But it was okay not to fit in everywhere, as long as you did somewhere. Sarah Dessen More Quotes by Sarah Dessen More Quotes From Sarah Dessen But in the real world, you couldnt really just split a family down the middle, mom on one side, dad the other, with the child equally divided between. It was like when you ripped a piece of paper into two: no matter how you tried, the seams never fit exactly right again. It was what you couldn't see, those tiniest of pieces, that were lost in the severing, and their absence kept everything from being complete. Sarah Dessen dadmomrelationship The truth was I knew, after all those flat January days, that I deserved better. I deserved I love yous and kiwi fruits and warriors coming to my door, besotted with love. I deserved pictures of my face in a thousand expressions, and the warmth of a baby's kick beneath my hand. I deserved to grow, and to change, to become all the girls I could be over the course of my life, each one better than the last. Sarah Dessen warriorgirlbaby It was like when you're a little kid and you run into your teacher or librarian at the grocery store or Wal-mart and it's just so startling, because it never occurred to you they existed outside of school. Sarah Dessen runningteacherschool Suddenly, I was just sure he was going to kiss me. He was there, I could feel his breath, the ground solid beneath us. But then something crossed his face, a thought, a hesitation, and he shifted slightly. Not now. Not yet. It was something I'd done so often - weighing what I could afford to risk, right at that moment - that I recognized it instantly. It was like looking in a mirror. Sarah Dessen riskkissingmirrors You want to take me to a movie?" I asked. "Well, not really," he said. "What I really want is for you to be my girlfriend. But I thought saying that might scare you off. Sarah Dessen scaregirlfriendrelationship Sometimes it seems safer to hold it all in, where the only person who can judge is yourself. Sarah Dessen judgingsometimesinspirational That was the hard thing about grief, and the grieving. They spoke another language, and the words we knew always fell short of what we wanted them to say. Sarah Dessen languagegriefgrieving Home wasn't a set house, or a single town on a map. It was wherever the people who loved you were, whenever you were together. Not a place, but a moment, and then another, building on each other like bricks to create a solid shelter that you take with you for your entire life, wherever you may go. Sarah Dessen househomepeople Pieces and parts were always easier to process. The full picture, the entire story, was another thing entirely. But you just never knew. Sometimes, people could surprise you. Sarah Dessen piecesstoriespeople The bottom line is, what defines you isn't how many times you crash, but the number of times you get back on the bike. As long as it's one more. you're all good. Sarah Dessen linesnumberslong That was the thing. You never got used to it, the idea of someone being gone. Just when you think it's reconciled, accepted, someone points it out to you, and it just hits you all over again, that shocking. Sarah Dessen lifedeaththinking I wondered which was harder, in the end. The act of telling, or who you told it to. Or maybe if, when you finally got it out, the story was really all that mattered. Sarah Dessen harderendsstories one word could change the whole world Sarah Dessen one-wordwholeworld I can say I made a lot of mistakes, but I don't regret things. Because at least I didn't spend a life standing outside, wondering what living would be like. Sarah Dessen regretwould-bemistake Nah," I said. "But if it does, just tell him I said to get back on the bike." "What?" "He'll understand. Sarah Dessen get-backdoesaid I realized how truly hard it was, really, to see someone you love change right before your eyes. Not only is it scary, it throws your balance off as well. Sarah Dessen scaryeyechange But you don’t have to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.” “You don’t have to assume the worst about everyone, either. The world isn’t always out to get you. Sarah Dessen benefitsdoubtgiving Some things don't last forever, but some things do. Like a good song, or a good book, or a good memory you can take out and unfold in your darkest times, pressing down on the corners and peering in close, hoping you still recognize the person you see there. Sarah Dessen songmemoriesbook Relationships dont always make sense. Especially from the outside Sarah Dessen make-sensecouplerelationship But I saw Blake earlier and he said he and Nate were taking off for an overnight business thing. So..." "... you're just going to jump their fence and their pool," I finished for her. Silence. Then Jamie said, "It's twenty-five degrees! In December! Do you know what this means?" "The apocalypse? Sarah Dessen twentiessilencemean
