"I just felt like . . . me. And whatever “me” meant, that was perfectly fine and absolutely enough. Everyone should feel that kind of peace and self-acceptance far more often than I think most of us do."

"I have a theory that he’s not actually as stupid as he likes to act, because often he’ll play the stupidity card in a really smart way ."

"I’m always amazed by how readily people judge the right and wrong of things they know only from the outside. Honestly, it kind of pisses me off."

"I will say this about that moment when you realize your worst nightmare has proven to be reality— it can be oddly comforting. After all, once you’ve hit rock bottom and lived, there’s only one place you can go, and that’s up."

"but the human heart has a bad habit of being hopeful."

"Happiness can be a dangerous thing; it can make you greedy for more."

"Are they always so mean?” I asked. “It’s the oldest story in the book— the bullied become the bullies."

"Every time he said those words it was like a supernova of joy exploding inside me. I just didn’t yet know that supernovas burn so brightly because a catastrophe is taking place. That lesson would come later."

"They say that it’s always darkest before the dawn, but sometimes it’s really darkest the moment you realize a dream was just a dream."