“ Some people just want to be part of the story, even if it’s a story that’s completely fabricated. Paula Stokes
“ I don’t think you can just choose to believe in God. You either do or you don’t, and no matter what camp you’re in, it would take something life-changing to truly lead you into the other one. Paula Stokes
“ Gideon and I sit there in the dark, wordless for a while, only our ragged breaths disturbing the silence. Memories of my sister overwhelm me—I see her impish grin as she leans over me at the orphanage… Paula Stokes
“ When you share feelings with someone, or secrets, it adds a layer of complexity to even the simplest things. Paula Stokes
“ When you care about someone, you can’t just turn that off because you learn they betrayed you. Paula Stokes
“ If you asked me whether I was the type of person who liked trying new things or preferred sticking with what was familiar, I would have told you I was the second girl. The if –it-aint-broke-don’t-fix-… Paula Stokes
“ Sometimes being poor means having to choose between your principles and your survival. Paula Stokes
“ Once I accepted the fact that I was bad luck, I shied away from group activities. And groups. And activities. I started spending a lot of time in my room, tucked under my covers reading books. There’s… Paula Stokes
“ How do you make me smile when it seems like there’s nothing in the whole world to smile about? Paula Stokes
“ Sobs force their way out of my throat. I feel like I’m trapped in a disaster movie where everything is shriveling into darkness and ash. Sunflowers are being uprooted. Puppies are being trampled. Whol… Paula Stokes
“ I remember the big gaping hole left by my dad’s absence in the months following the accident. He’d been the one who went to my parent-teacher conferences, the one who taught me mnemonics to memorize t… Paula Stokes
“ Time doesn’t heal anything. It’s like drinking. The best it can do is help you forget, if you’re lucky. Paula Stokes
“ To us, reality is just raw footage: Unclear. Desultory. Too shocking or not quite shocking enough. It’s ironic that making something more real involves making it less real, but Gideon always says peop… Paula Stokes
“ Emotions I’ve been working hard to hold back all summer start to spill out of me as I pull Elliott’s mouth toward my own. I’m so eager and impatient that our noses bump and teeth knock together before… Paula Stokes
“ Some people think they can just decree that everything will be fine. The world doesn’t work like that. I’m not sure the world gives a crap about anyone’s promises, well-meaning or otherwise. Sometimes… Paula Stokes
“ The world is full of holes and uneven seams, wrinkled places that you can’t make smooth, no matter how hard you try. Paula Stokes
“ I remember a time when all I wanted was a gun and to learn how to use it. I thought a gun would make me feel safe. I thought a gun would make me feel powerful. But right now I just feel . . . heavy. L… Paula Stokes
