“You weren’t alone,” he says, making sure I hear every word. “And you weren’t floating.”“How do you know?” I ask.“Because I was carrying you.”

“Still there are some, braver and more valiant than their peers, who face their demons head on, staring defiantly into the shadows, demanding forgiveness.”

“It's funny. Looking back, none of it seems to matter now, those moments of yearning, craving to belong with people I thought mattered. No more fragments of glass, pieces of a broken mirror you can't put back together and wouldn't want to even if you could.”

“Possibility is not a facet of opportunity. It's one of fate. And I've never been one to fear destiny.”

“There are some who would vow that life isn’t fair. They believe the worst is yet to come, that evil will always conquer good, and that we have no control over our fate. It’s true, there are storms that shake our foundations and monsters that threaten to tear us limb from limb. We will make terrible mistakes. We will fall short of our expectations. No one is exempt from pain and fear. But life, and what comes after, is a beautiful mixture of darkness and light, sacrifice and salvation. There is no fine line between the two, for both are needed. Where there is grief, there will be joy. Where there is heartbreak, love will follow.”

“When life is forgiving enough to bless you with a minute, a second, of happiness, there's nothing to do but savor the moment, however odd or unexpected or foolish the source might be.Because who knows when those moments will grace us again.”

“I smile, comforted by the knowledge that I am not alone. That I haven't been left behind. That when everyone else moves on, when they find new lives and loves and joys, it just might be alright to stay where you are, as long as there's someone standing next to you, holding your hand, telling you it will be okay.”

“She was infamous once upon a time. She's legendary now. The girl is a definite force to be reckoned with, though perhaps she doesn't know it yet.”

“You weren’t alone,” he says, making sure I hear every word. “And you weren’t floating.”“How do you know?” I ask.“Because I was carrying you.”

“Is this your girl?" she asks, not waiting for an answer. "She's breathtaking.""You're my new favorite person," Billie giggles.”

“Don't do anything stupid, they said. Well, it's now or never, I suppose, and stupidity and confidence run a fine line.”