Alyssa B. Sheinmel Quotes

We were about a mile from school, on a path in the park, when Chirag reached down and took off his shoes, tossing them into the trees beside us.

"What are you doing?" I shouted in between breaths. Step, breath. Step, breath. He was a few yards ahead of me. I took advantage of his pause to pass him; I wasn't about to let him beat me.

"There's a tribe of Indians in Mexico who are the best runners in the world," he shouted. "They run barefoot for miles and miles and never break a sweat."

"You're not that kind of Indian," I shouted back, and Chirag laughed, his golden skin shimmering beneath his sweat.

"You should try it, too!"

"No way!" I replied without turning around to face him. "The ground is filthy. There could be glass or splinters or something."

"Aw, come on, Maisie," he cooed, coming up on my left side and getting a few steps ahead of me once more. "I dare you.

Oh my god. I can't believe I slapped him.

And I can't help thinking Wow, I did it with my left hand, Marnie would be so proud.

I never thought before how strange the notion of a transplant list is. The only list I've ever really given thought to were grocery lists and to-do lists, lists of homework assignments and list of clothes I wanted to buy before school started. I never thought there was such a thing as a list of names, people waiting for new faces. People waiting for someone else to die.

You have to learn to love yourself before you can love someone else. Because it's only when we love ourselves that we feel worthy of someone else's love.

But then there she is, on her own, chewing gum, pulling her hair back with one hand and getting her MetroCard out with the other. Girls can do so much at once.

Our convesation is awkward, as though our friendship is another skill that I remember but can't use anymore.

Adam shakes his head. "The point isn't to forget what happened to us."

"I didn't mean forget, like, I wouldn't actually remember what had happened. I just don't want to be constantly reminded of what I look like now."

"Like Clyde said, eventually you have to accept it."

I shake my head. "That's not what Clyde said."

"Yeah, but you know as well as I do that that's what he was getting at."

"Well, now you've deprived me of the chance to figure it out myself. I'm going to tell Clyde on you."

"Tattletale," Adam says, grinning. "Seriously, though, Maisie - acceptance is the key. Acceptance is everything."

"Don't use your motivational speech stuff on me."

"How do you know I give motivational speeches?"

"I Googled you."

"You Googled me?"

"Right after we met." I don't add that I haven't looked up any other injuries since I Googled his.

"Guess I made quite an impression, huh?"...

"Nah," I answer. "I was just impressed you found a way to parlay your injury into a lucrative career.

Maybe the witch thought she was protecting Rapunzel, not punishing her. Maybe she thought that if Rapunzel was locked away, no one could ever hurt her. Maybe the witch kept Rapunzel because she loved her, because she was scared that if other people could get to Rapunzel, they would hurt her. And maybe Rapunzel didn't understand the witch; maybe she was angry at her - but maybe she loved her too.