Leah Konen Quotes

Worth noting here is a common little mind trap that you humans frequently fall into: thinking much more about whether the other person likes you than whether you actually like them.

Everyone thinks their romance is classy AF. No one sits there comparing their coupledom to the stuff of Lifetime movies. And no one thinks it will go away because, if you did, you'd never take a chance. Luckily, the human heart is not that logical.

High school marching band was its own little microcosm of the world. More a study in sociology than in woodwinds and brass: There were the band geeks, pimply and a tad too greasy, making out with one another every chance they got. There were the no-nonsense go-getters, eager to fill a line on their college applications, marching without rhythm or passion. There was the percussion section, hipsters-to-be whose arms would be full of tattoos in a few years' time. And there were the tuba players, chunky and asexual, as if they were slowly morphing into their instrument of choice.

2. Adventurer: One who primarily seeks out a partner for life's adventures (and misadventures), and who doesn't feel the need for overly romantic gestures, saccharine phrases, or deep discussions about the future. May result in downplaying more serious emotions or situations in favor of "just seeing where it goes." May result in fun, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants relationship that keeps both partners excited and fulfilled.

Inspirational shit works a lot better, he mused, when your whole life isn't already ruined.

Maybe even though what they had was beautiful, it wasn't meant to last forever.

So what's your favorite horror movie?" she asked.

"Easy," Gael said. "The Birds." Not even its recent association with Anika could quell his love for the masterpiece.

"Umm, The Birds totally doesn't count as horror."

"Of course it does!" Gael ventured a sip of his hot chocolate, but it was still too hot. "What are you talking about?"

"No one even dies," Sammy protested. "You can't have a horror movie without at least one death."

"The schoolteacher dies," Gael said.

Sammy rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine. Favorite slasher film, then. You know, where there's a killer, and the killer is not, like, a pigeon."

It was actually mainly crows and seagulls in The Birds, but Gael let that one slide.

She looked at him all serious, and Gael swore even her freckles looked like they weren't messing around.

You could love someone, you could pick the right person, you could give your life to them, and you could. Still. Get. Hurt.

So in case you were wondering, I had no idea her friend was you," Gael said. "I wouldn't have tried to rope you into babysitting, I promise."

"I believe you," Sammy said. "Don't worry. We're hardly even friends, really, I just met her yesterday - ooh, look," she squealed, interrupting herself. "There's a baby elephant!"

Gael laughed. "I wouldn't have expected you to go ape-shit for baby animals."

Sammy raised an eyebrow. "Name one person with a soul who doesn't go apeshit for baby animals. They're, like, animals who are tiny. Who are you, the devil?"

Gael shook his head. "I like them, too. Obviously. But your voice went about a million levels higher just then."

Sammy crossed her arms. "Maybe you should question your ability to maintain an even tone of voice in the face of" - she smiled one of those weird upside-down smiles that little kids do when they're excited - "BABY ELEPHANTS.

In fact, it is quite possible that you think you've found me (love) when you haven't.

Love is messy. I want that.

Books are supposed to remind you that life is hard for everyone. That other people have it even worse than you. I know you know, that because you love reading as much as I do.

Anika's hand in his felt natural, and the energy between them felt big and important, straight-up literary, like Tristan and Isolde. Cathy and Heathcliff. Romeo and Juliet.

But the thing that Gael forgot to remember was that, whether the author is Shakespeare, Emily Brontë, or whoever the hell wrote Tristan and Isolde, all of those stories have one thing in common:

They end badly.

Every day since TUB (The Ultimate Betrayal) had been a disaster. He had English with Anika, who never failed to shoot him a forced smile. Then chemistry with Mason, where they were lab partners. Gael refused to talk to either of them. In the past week, he'd barely exchanged words with anyone.

Things were even awkward with Danny. Even though he was Gael's best friend besides Mason, the dude was gaga for Jenna, and Jenna had long been Anika's BFF. As such, this had become the unspoken rule among them: Jenna was Team Anika, Danny was Team Jenna, and by the transitive property, Danny couldn't be on Gael's side.

Gael hadn't ever thought to make friends outside of their little group. He hadn't hedged his bets, if you will.

He'd put all his eggs in one basket.

And those eggs had decided to hook up with each other behind his back.

Half the time, people just want to be assholes, so they call it rebellion.