Albertalli Quotes

What's wrong with slowmance? That should be a word. It's like a slow romance. A way to let the romantic moments linger. ~ Becky Albertalli

That has to be the best part of being in love - the feeling of having a home in someone else's brain. ~ Becky Albertalli

And you know what? I'm pretty much done with this construct of 'virginity' which I'm sure you think applied to hetero vaginal sex." ... "Why would that be considered more intimate than oral? Like why do you get to decide what makes something intimate ~ Becky Albertalli

I mean, that's my family. Everything's a freaking secret, because everything's a big deal. Everything is like coming out" -Simon ~ Becky Albertalli

He laughs. "I'm sitting at my desk, looking through my window, and talking to you."
"Talking to your boyfriend."
"Yeah," he says. I can hear him smiling. "Him". ~ Becky Albertalli

Can ambiguous social situations kindly go fuck themselves? ~ Becky Albertalli

Abby Suso is singlehandedly reclaiming eye crinkles for our generation. ~ Becky Albertalli

I wish I had the kind of talent that emerged fully formed. I don't like people seeing me in progress. ~ Becky Albertalli

Friendship is like that. I guess it's not always about common ground. ~ Becky Albertalli

As a side note, don't you think everyone should have to come out? Why is straight the default? Everyone should have to declare one way or another, and it should be this big awkward thing whether you're straight, gay, bi, or whatever. Just saying. ~ Becky Albertalli

And suddenly, I feel like crying, but not in a bad way. More like in the way you feel when someone gives you a perfect present - something you'd been wanting, but thought you couldn't ask for. It's that feeling of someone knowing you in all the ways you needed to be known. ~ Becky Albertalli

She has the kind of mouth that always rests in a faint smile, and she smells a little like French toast. ~ Becky Albertalli

Because there's this invisible line, and on one side are people like Garrett and Abby and Nick and every musician ever. People who go to parties and drink and don't get wasted off of one beer. People who have had sex and don't think it's a huge deal.
On the other side of the line are people like Leah and me.
But the one thing that makes it weirdly better is knowing that Blue is one of us. ~ Becky Albertalli

People are shameless when it comes to cake. It's ~ Becky Albertalli

I am such a dick. Like, I'm an actual flaccid penis of a person. ~ Becky Albertalli

Never say never," Arthur says. "Right?" So much hope hangs in one word. "Right," I say. "Never know what the universe has planned for us." I don't know what we have planned for us. What if there's a do-over down the line for us? What if we end up in the same city again and pick up where we left off? What if we go as far as we once hoped we would, and boom, happy ending for us? But what if this is it for us? What if we never get to kiss again? What if we're there for each other's big moments, but we aren't at the heart of those big moments anymore? What if the universe always wanted us to meet and stay in each other's lives forever as best friends? What if we rewrite everything we expect from happy endings? Or . . . What if we haven't seen the best us yet? ~ Becky Albertalli

Though the idea of objective hotness fucks me up a little. The idea that certain arrangements of facial features are automatically superior. ~ Becky Albertalli

Puberty is merciless. ~ Becky Albertalli

We might give it our all and crash and burn. But we might win. We might actually change things. And that maybe makes it still worth going for, don't you think? ~ Becky Albertalli

You're not being fair to yourself,' Dylan says.
'Maybe not. But I'm being honest.'
I rush for the steps and head back down into the park. ~ Becky Albertalli

What's a dementor?"
I mean, I can't even. "Nora, you are no longer my sister."
"So it's some Harry Potter thing," she says. ~ Becky Albertalli

I hate when writers make Draco sweet. Sorry, but Draco's a bitch. Own it. I mean, yeah, he's a ball of mush underneath, but you have to earn it with him. ~ Becky Albertalli

But it's not quite so raw. You know, when you're seventeen, everything feels like the end of the world. Or the beginning of the world. And that's an awesome thing. ~ Becky Albertalli

Anyway, we have something for you."
"Is it another awkward anecdote about me breast-feeding?"
"Oh my God, you were all about the boob," my dad says. "I can't believe you turned out to be gay."
"Hilarious, Dad. ~ Becky Albertalli

Okay. I have a crush. But it's not like having a crush on some random musician or actor or Harry freaking Potter. This is the real deal. It has to be. It's almost debilitating. ~ Becky Albertalli

I take a sip of my beer, and it's - I mean, it's just astonishingly disgusting. I don't think I was expecting it to taste like ice cream, but holy fucking hell. People lie and get fake IDs and sneak into bars, and for this? I honestly think I'd rather make out with Bieber. The dog. Or Justin. ~ Becky Albertalli

I don't even dislike Abby. It's just that my brain doesn't work right around her. ~ Becky Albertalli

And you know what? You don't get to say it's not a big thing. This is a big fucking thing, okay? This was supposed to be - this is mine. I'm supposed to decide when and where and who knows and how I want to say it. ~ Becky Albertalli

I just think you're meant to meet some people. I think the universe nudges them into your path. ~ Becky Albertalli

Some people are meant to change history. And some people are meant to change out of their vomity interview clothes. ~ Becky Albertalli

I don't know. There's just something kind of mortifying to me about the intensity of those feelings. I remember them so clearly. ~ Becky Albertalli

It's really amazing, isn't it? Someone can trigger your sexual identity crisis and not have a clue they're doing it. ~ Becky Albertalli

I guess that's any relationship. You start with nothing and maybe end with everything. ~ Becky Albertalli

I don't want to be that girl. I want to be the other kind of girl. The Olivia kind. Totally cool with being single. Not even interested in a relationship right now ~ Becky Albertalli

Am I the worst person?"
"Well, no," says Simon. "That would be Voldemort. ~ Becky Albertalli

A girl gets up from her corner table, wiping it down with napkins, and before I can charge to see if she's leaving, two vultures--excuse me, dudes in suits on their lunch break--swarm in and take the table. ~ Becky Albertalli

No spoilers!" "It's history!" "History that I don't know. ~ Becky Albertalli

I shut down right there because we've been here before, after Dylan broke up with Harriett. Being Harriett's friend was weird for Dylan, and me trying to be Hudson's friend was weird for Arthur. But maybe this isn't how life works. Maybe it's all about people coming into your life for a little while and you take what they give you and use it on your next friendship or relationship. And if you're lucky, maybe some people pop back in after you thought they were gone for good. Like Hudson and Harriett. ~ Becky Albertalli

Is that a space?
No, it's a hydrant. ~ Becky Albertalli

And then I kiss him for real, and he kisses me back, and his hands fist my hair. And we're kissing like it's breathing. My stomach flutters wildly. And somehow we end up horizontal, his hands curved up around my back.

"I like this," I say, and my voice comes out breathless. "We should do this. Every day."
"Okay."
"Let's never do anything else. No school. No meals. No homework."
"I was going to ask you to see a movie," he says, smiling. When he smiles, I smile.
"No movies. I hate movies."
"Oh, really?"
"Really, really. Why would I want to watch other people kissing," I say, "when I could be kissing you? ~ Becky Albertalli

Wow, is that Katniss making out with Yoda? ~ Becky Albertalli

There's no such thing as a good idea when you're in seventh grade. ~ Becky Albertalli

He sniffs and turns his head to look at me. There's a tear streaking down his cheek, sliding out from under his glasses. He wipes it away with the heel of his hand. "I just don't like good-byes."
"I know."
"I don't want to leave him or you or Abby or any of you guys." His voice catches. "I don't know anyone in Philly. I don't know how people do this. ~ Becky Albertalli

Now holler at me if you're ready to have a Rossumly awesome time. State District Forty is about to get hella canvassed, and I am so here for it." He pounds a fist in the air.

It's like watching your oldest, cringiest teacher try to win over the class with slang they googled during their planning period. And I'm pretty sure Gabe being only twenty-three makes it worse. ~ Becky Albertalli

Dylan checks his phone, like we're not even talking, which is my least favorite thing about humans. ~ Becky Albertalli

I can't even help it. There's just this thread of anticipation that I can't seem to quell. So when the school day ends and nothing extraordinary has happened, it's a tiny heartbreak. It's like eleven o'clock on the night of your birthday, when you realize no one's throwing you a surprise party after all. ~ Becky Albertalli

What the fuck is a duck tour? ~ Becky Albertalli

Don't do anything Rose and Jack wouldn't do in a steamy vintage car. ~ Becky Albertalli

I think I hate the concept of needing space. What it really means is that the person is mad at you, or hates you, or doesn't give a shit about you. They just don't want to admit it. ~ Becky Albertalli

It's like my throat's caving in on itself. But I have to channel my inner New Yorker - cool and nonchalant. I shoot him a tentative grin. Deep Breath. "That's a big package."
And... shit.
The words tumblr out. "I don't mean package. Just. Your box. Is big." I hold my hands apart to demonstrate. Because apparently that's the way to prove it's not an innuendo. By spreading my hands out dick-measuringly.
Box Boy furrows his brow.
"Sorry. I don't... I swear I don't usually comment on the size of other guys' boxes."
He meets my eyes and smiles, just a little. "Nice tie," he says. ~ Becky Albertalli

It's just hard to believe in the concept of Molly-With-a-Boyfriend. ~ Becky Albertalli

The universe knew it was love before we did ~ Becky Albertalli

I don't even know. I'm just so sick of straight people who can't get their shit together. ~ Becky Albertalli

Then he smiles and I smile. And then I blush and he lowers his eyes, and it's like this entire pantomime of nervous gestures. ~ Becky Albertalli

Have you thought about the Coming Out Thing? It gets complicated when you bring religion into the equation. Technically, Jews and Episcopalians are supposed to be gay-friendly, but it's hard to really know how that applies to your own parents. Like, you read about these gay kids with really churchy Catholic parents, and the parents end up doing PFLAG and Pride Parades and everything. And then you hear about parents who are totally fine with homosexuality, but can't handle it when their own kid comes out. You just never know. ~ Becky Albertalli

It's funny, because you always think the hard part is meeting someone the first time. It's not. It's the second time, because you've already used up all the obvious topics of conversation. And even if you haven't, it's strange and heavy-handed to introduce random conversational topics at this stage in the game. Hi, Reid. Let's converse about topics. HOW MANY SIBLINGS DO YOU HAVE? WHAT BOOKS DO YOU LIKE? ~ Becky Albertalli

I want to hold your hand, I say softly. Because we're in public. Because I don't know if he's out.
"So hold it," he says.
And I do. ~ Becky Albertalli

Oh my God, I'm just making a point. We like who we like. Who cares if someone else doesn't get it? That's a good thing. That's less competition. ~ Becky Albertalli

Even if he likes me, I'm not sure he'd like me naked. I hate that I'm even thinking that. I hate hating my body. Actually, I don't even hate my body. I just worry everyone else might. Because chubby girls don't get boyfriends, and they definitely don't have sex. Not in movies - not really - unless it's supposed to be a joke. And I don't want to be a joke. ~ Becky Albertalli

Emotional blue balls. That's what it feel like. It's being handed everything you've ever longed for, only for it to slip through your fingers. And there's no way to fix it. Nothing you can do but slink toward the kitchen counter in a full-body mope. ~ Becky Albertalli

It's always cool to find out immediately if a cute guy is a gay or not. Trying to solve that mystery yourself isn't fun and rarely pays off. ~ Becky Albertalli

Why is straight the default? Everyone should have to declare one way or another, and it shouldn't be this big awkward thing whether you're straight, gay, bi, or whatever. I'm just saying. ~ Becky Albertalli

Babies here are forced to declare their allegiance to vegetables before ~ Becky Albertalli

Ex-sisters. Which sounds exactly like existers. And I guess it fits, because that's exactly how things fall apart. That's all it takes. Just the fact you're two different people. Just the fact that you exist outside each other. I get this ache in my chest when I think about it. I try to shake the feeling away. ~ Becky Albertalli

You can't imagine how much I hated middle school. Remember the way people would look at you blankly and say, "Um, okaaay," after you finished talking? Everyone just had to make it so clear that, whatever you were thinking or feeling, you were totally alone. The worst part, of course, was that I did the same thing to other people. It makes me a little nauseated just remembering that. ~ Becky Albertalli

...our voices don't ever really become one, but I like how we sound together.

Like two people trying to make it work. ~ Becky Albertalli

I think messages from boys are like Santa Claus or Buzz Lightyear. They won't happen if you're watching them. ~ Becky Albertalli

Just speak from the dick, Big Ben. ~ Becky Albertalli

I can't seem to shake this perpetual awareness of being Molly. ~ Becky Albertalli

I have a sneaking suspicion that you're not 100% committed to your Oreo diet. ~ Becky Albertalli

I dare you to kiss me," she says. ~ Becky Albertalli

And maybe this is the do-over I needed all along. ~ Becky Albertalli

But there's this thing I feel when I meet another Jewish person in the wild. It's like a secret invisible high five. ~ Becky Albertalli

I completely understand what you mean about being locked into yourself. For me, I don't even think it has anything to do with other people thinking they know me. It's more that I want to leap in and say certain things and do certain things, but I always seem to hold myself back. I think a big part of me is afraid. Even thinking about it makes me nauseated. Did I mentioned I get nauseated easily? ~ Becky Albertalli

I remember when this store opened," Morgan says. "I was obsesed with American Girls."
Anna raises her eyebrows. "You're still obsessed."
"Not with all of them." Morgan swipes her. "Just Rebecca. But, like, she's Jewish, so she's family. ~ Becky Albertalli

She makes me want to shove my hand into my chest and rip my own heart out. ~ Becky Albertalli

But maybe this isn't how life works. Maybe it's all about people coming into your life for a little while and you take what they give you and use it on your next friendship or relationship. And if you're lucky, maybe some people pop back in after you thought they were gone for good. ~ Becky Albertalli

Really, though, there are only two kinds of weather: hoodie weather and weather where you wear a hoodie anyway. ~ Becky Albertalli

And I never would have remembered spoons, but he did. Of course. ~ Becky Albertalli

Honestly, the secret to impressing people is this: individual portions, packaged in mason jars. I ~ Becky Albertalli

I just need more time with me, I think. To really believe in my worth without anyone's help. ~ Becky Albertalli

You don't get to say it's not a big thing. This is a big fucking thing, okay? This was supposed to be - this is mine. I'm supposed to decide when and where and who knows and how I want to say it." Suddenly, my throat gets thick. "So, yeah, you took that from me. ~ Becky Albertalli

Same first name as a president and an obscure comic book character. Half-Jewish. Excellent grammar. Easily nauseated. Likes Reese's and Oreos (i.e. not an idiot). Divorced parents. Big brother to a fetus. Dad lives in Savannah. Dad's an English teacher. Mom's an epidemiologist.
The problem is, I'm beginning to realize I hardly know anything about anyone. I mean I generally know who's a virgin. But I don't have a clue whether most people's parents are divorced, or what their parents do for a living. I mean, Nick's parents are doctors. But I don't know what Leah's mom does, and I don't even know what the deal is with her dad, because Leah never talks about him. I have no idea why Abby's dad and brother still live in DC. And these are my best friends. I've always thought of myself as nosy, but I guess I'm just nosy about stupid stuff.
It's actually really terrible, now that I think about it. ~ Becky Albertalli

In the distance, they begin shutting down the rides and turning off lights. There's something beautiful and eerie about a darkened, unmoving Ferris wheel. ~ Becky Albertalli

It's weird, because Blue's emails used to be this extra thing that was separate from my actual life. But now I think maybe the emails are my life. Everything else sort of feels like I'm slogging through a dream. ~ Becky Albertalli

Iran. Hot for certainties, but all us women get are rhymes. Always a metaphor; always a clever turn of phrase; always quoting poets without giving a direct answer. Give us definitive wedding dates. That's certainty! Those are the certainties we ache for--as certain as the sunlight that our sun-loving botany aches for. ~ Michael Ben Zehabe

I don't even know how to respond to that. Like, I'm in an actual band, Wells. I'm not saying we're the Beatles, but we're not exactly honking our way through "Hot Cross Buns" in the school auditorium ~ Becky Albertalli

It's the first time I've said those words out loud. I pause with my hands on the steering wheel, waiting to feel something extraordinary. The light turns green. ~ Becky Albertalli

Of all fuckin' days"
"Okay, please don't say fuckin'."
She shoots me a self-conscious glance. "I thought we liked cussing."
"We love cussing. But we say the fucking g. I don't want to hear that apostrophe, Mom. ~ Becky Albertalli

Why is straight the default? ~ Becky Albertalli

The way I feel about him is like a heartbeat -- soft and persistent, underlying everything. ~ Becky Albertalli

It's more that I want to leap in and say certain things and do certain things, but I always seem to hold myself back. I think a big part of me is afraid. ~ Becky Albertalli

It is definitely annoying that straight (and white, for that matter) is the default, and that the only people who have to think about their identity are the ones who don't fit that mold. Straight people really should have to come out, and the more awkward it is, the better. Awkwardness should be a requirement. ~ Becky Albertalli

I honestly think there are two kinds of quiet people. There's the kind like me, who are full of storms and spinning gears. And then there's the kind like Olivia, who is the actual personification of an ocean on a sunny day. I don't mean that she's simple. There's just something peaceful about her. ~ Becky Albertalli

But there's this awfulness that comes when a guy thinks you like him. It's as if he's fully clothed and you're naked in front of him. It's like your heart suddenly lives outside your body, and whenever he wants, he can reach out and squeeze it. ~ Becky Albertalli

We all talk a big game like the universe is actually setting us up for something epic, and then everything ends. If we were all just a little more realistic, we wouldn't keep losing people. ~ Becky Albertalli

I can't help it. I'm thinking about sex. Sex with Will Haley. Sex in general. The thing is, I can't make my brain turn the idea into something sexy. Isn't that ridiculous? It's sex. It's inherently sexy. But not to me. Because in hazily lit movies, when the girl pulls her shirt up over her head, she stops being me. The hazily lit girl is never me. She has a flat golden stomach and cute little boobs, and you can see the boy falling for her. You can read it on his face. Under my shirt, there's no flat stomach, and there are no cute little boobs, and there's no hazy lighting. It's just a lot of me. Way too much of me. ~ Becky Albertalli

And it's almost too perfect. Almost too Disney. ~ Becky Albertalli

And at least a dozen straight kids make a point of telling me that they support me. One girl even confirms that Jesus still loves me. ~ Becky Albertalli

I get locked into a cycle of not speaking. It's like every time I think of something awesome to say, I rehearse it in my head so many times, I forget whether I've said it out loud yet. And I think it goes without saying that awesome one-liners are decidedly less awesome when you repeat them by accident. Better not to risk it. ~ Becky Albertalli