I meant it when I told you before: I want every version of you.” A fingertip lands in the center of my lower lip. “I love every version of you.
You’re never too anything for books. We like what we like” -Rowan.
When you’re in love, whether that love is platonic or romantic, you get to be the fullest version of yourself, uncertainties and mistakes and all.
Sometimes I wonder if content is really just a synonym for complacent.
Neil is softer than I realized, and I’m a barbed-wire fence. Every time he gets too close, I make myself sharper.
You and I have to always be the best, right? So we’ll be the best at long distance, if thats what we decide to do.
It’s easy to be inclusive, and yet most people just don’t care.
Did you know the world ‘clue’ comes from Greek Mythology? A clew, C-L-E-W, was a ball of yarn. Ariadne gave Theseus a clew to help him out of the Minotaur’s labyrinth. He unraveled it as he went so he could find his way back.
Cool is the Kevin Jonas of compliments. It’s like saying your favorite color is beige.
Wow’ is not an adjective.
There’s this word in Japanese: tsundoku. It’s my favorite word in any language. It mean acquiring more books than you could ever realistically read. There’s not direct translation.” -Neil.
But after a while, you grow weary of beautiful.
People think it’s harmless. They think it’s funny. That’s why they do it,” I say, trying to ignore the strange shiver where he touched my arm. Must be static electricity. “And sure. I guess it’s harmless until something bad happens. It’s harmless, and then there are security guards at your synagogue because someone called in a bomb threat. It’s harmless, and you’re terrified to get out of bed Saturday morning and go to services.
Will you finally sign my yearbook now?” he asks when we quiet down. “I have to have a Rowan Roth autograph for when you get famous.
Maybe the truth is that we’re each fighting our own battles, and even if she’s on my side she can’t always be with me on the front lines. I have to learn to do battle on my own.
I am into classical music, in fact,” I say. “It’s been around for more than a thousand years, its composers have more name recognition than whatever ‘indie’ music you’re listening to right now, and symphonies sell out millions of performances a year. So go ahead, tell me classical music is tedious or boring or inferior.
I love words, and that’s what I want to do. There’s no better satisfaction than using precisely the right word in a conversation. I love the challenge of learning a new language, and I love discovering patterns. And I find it fascinating that words in other languages have crept into our vocabulary. ‘Cul-de-sac,’ ‘aficionado,’ tattoo...
Am I still ambitious if I’ve failed?
Artoo. Maybe you didn’t do everything on that list, but you did a lot. You were president of three clubs, editor of the yearbook, copresident of student council... ’ The smirk returns as he adds: ’... salutatorian.
I’m a solid second, but I’m no one’s first.