Quotes from Leaving Paradise

“Are you following me?" she asks, but doesn't meet my gaze.
"Yeah," I say.
"Why?"
I give her the only honest and true answer I have. "You're where I want to be.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“Love is honesty. Love is a mutual respect for one another.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“I look down at our knees, slightly touching. Jeans against jeans. Does she notice the heat transferring from her body to mine? Does she even realize what she's doing to me? I know, I know. I'm not a virgin and the slightest touch of a girl's knee is driving me insane. I don't even know what I'm feeling for Maggie, I just know that I'm feeling. It's something I've tried to avoid and deny until yesterday, when I held her in my arms while her tears spilled onto my shirt.

God, our knees touching isn't enough. I need more.

She's knotting her fingers together on her lap as if she doesn't know what to do with them. I want to touch her, but what if she pulls away like before? I've never been such a wuss with a girl in my life.

I bite my bottom lip as I slide my hand about millionth of a millimeter closer to her hand.

She doesn't seem fazed so I move closer. And closer.

When the tips of my fingers touch her wrist, she freezes. But she doesn't jerk her hand away. God, her skin is so soft, I think as my fingers trail a path from her wrist to her knuckles to her smooth, manicured nails.

I swear touching her like this is driving me nuts. It's more erotic, more intense than any other time with Kendra. I feel awkward and inexperienced as a freshman again. I look up. Everyone else is oblivious to the intensity of emotions running rampant in the back of the public bus.

When I look back down at my hand covering hers, I'm grateful she hasn't come to her senses and pulled away. As if she knows my thoughts, we both turn our hands at the same time so our hands are palm against palm...finger against finger. Her hand is dwarfed against mine. It makes her seem more delicate and petite than I'd realize. I feel a need to protect her and be her champion should she ever need one.

With a slight shift of my hand, I lace my fingers through hers.

I'm holding hands. With Maggie Armstrong.

I'm not even going to think about how wrong it is because it feels so right. She's avoided looking right at me, but now she turns her head and our eyes lock. God, how come I never noticed before how long her lashes were and how her brown eyes have specks of gold that sparkle when the sun shine on them?

The bus stops suddenly and I look out the window. It's our stop. She must have realized this because she pulls her hand away from mine and stands. I follow behind, still reeling.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“It's hard keeping everything the same when the same things look and feel so different”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“I cry a lot.'
'Yeah? Well I'm gonna change that.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“the scary part is that people don't realize how much they've changed .”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“Sometimes you have to steer away from the crowd in order to be a better person. It's not always easy, that's for sure. But it's right. And sometimes doing the right thing feels good, even if it does end up in a trip to the principal's office.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“being afraid to take chances is scarier than actually doing things that challenge you.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“I give her the only honest and true answer I have.
"You're where I want to be.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“My dream is to find a guy who'll love me despite my flaws and won't turn away from me when a perfect girl walks by. Maybe a boy like that doesn't even exist.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“No, the next time i kiss you it'll last a long, long time. And then when we're done you're gonna realize being turned on is not about experience”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“You're stressing too much about what might be. Do something to take your mind off thinking about what might never happen.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“Being brave is not as easy as it looks.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“I wasn't going to kiss you."'
'You weren't?' I look up look up at him.
[...]
'Nope, the next time I kiss you it'll last a long, long time. And when we're done you're going to realize being turned on is not about experience.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“It's as if I'm taking away his pain and he's taking away mine.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“what could i do to make the one i loved love me back ?”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“Being told when to shit, shower, shave, eat, and sleep isn't my idea of paradise. But then again, Paradise, where i grew up, wasn't paradise either. I'm wondering if paradise is just some word in the dictionary with the definition: this doesn't fucking exist.
--Caleb to himself”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“I can't sleep. Too many thoughts running through my useless head.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“I let it all out--my mom's date,my dad's conversation,my confusion about it all.Caleb doesn't laugh,he doesn't pull away,he doesn't talk .. He just lets me be me.

When I settle down,I lean back and witness the mess I've made on his shirt."I made ur shirt all gross," I say between sniffles.

"Forget the shirt.What's going on? I could.nt understand a word you mumbled into my chest." Now I'm half laughing and half crying.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“I want to be wherever you are.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“I'm standing here, holding a half a lemon in my hand. I'm speechless, I'm excited . . . I'm a wreck. Caleb wants to be where I am.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“I'll tell you what's real. Real is that I was in jail for the past year, rooming with drug dealers and eating crap food your dog wouldn't touch. Real is not being able to wear your own frickin' underwear and showering with twenty-five other dicks every day while guards watch. Real is my next-door neighbor who walks like she's balancing on stilts because her leg is so fucked up from the accident. Brian, your perception of reality is totally off.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“Cómo me gustaría poder retroceder al año pasado y empezar de nuevo. La vida no te permite hacer eso. No es posible borrar el pasado, pero voy a tratar de hacer que otras personas lo olviden.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“— ¿Me estas siguiendo? —ella pregunta, pero no se encuentra con mi mirada.
—Si —le digo.
— ¿Por qué?
— ¿Honestamente?
Ella me mira, sus cejas enarcadas. Le doy la única respuesta honesta y verdadera que tengo.
—Estas donde yo quiero estar.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“Es difícil mantener todo igual cuando las mismas cosas lucen y se sienten diferentes.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“—Te diré a lo que es real. Real es que yo estaba en la cárcel durante el último año, quedándome en conjunto con los distribuidores de drogas y consumiendo una porquería de basura como alimento, que ni siquiera tu perro tocaría. Real es no poder usar la maldita ropa interior propia y ducharte con veinticinco pollas de otros tipos todos los días mientras los guardias vigilan el reloj. Real es que mi vecina de al lado que camina como si estuviera en equilibrio sobre unos zancos, porque la pierna está tan jodido por el accidente. Brian, tu percepción de la realidad es totalmente errónea.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“A veces hay que alejarse de la multitud para ser una mejor persona. No siempre es fácil, eso es seguro. Pero es correcto. Y a veces hacer lo correcto se siente muy bien.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“I'm going to kiss you."
"Here?"
"Oh, yeah. Right here, right now.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“—No, la próxima vez que te bese durará un largo, largo tiempo. Y cuando lo hayamos hecho comprenderás que estar excitado no es sobre la experiencia.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

“Kendra's kisses are more hollow to me than a flute.”
― Simone Elkeles, quote from Leaving Paradise

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Popular quotes

“Three old women were bending in the fields. What use is it to question us? they said. Well it shortly became clear that they knew everything there is to know about the snowy fields and the blue green shoots and the plant called "audacity", which poets mistake for violets. I began to copy out everything that was said. ... I will do anything to escape boredom. It is the task of a lifetime. You can never know enough, never work enough, never use the infinitives and participles oddly enough, never impede the movement harshly enough, never leave the mind quickly enough.”
― Anne Carson, quote from Plainwater: Essays and Poetry

“Well, thank the gods,' he sighed.
'Oh? And what would it be you're thanking them for?' Bahzell inquired, and Brandark grinned.
'For making roads and letting us find one. Not that I'm complaining, you understand, but this business of following you cross-country without the faintest idea where I am can worry a man.”
― David Weber, quote from Oath of Swords

“When we get closer, he pushes out both of the chairs across from him. He nods at them and says, “Take a seat.”

I raise an eyebrow at him. “Am I going to have to woo you before I get my slice?”

He smiles over the pizza that he’s about to bite into. “Yeah, I do believe you’re going to have to.”

With zero self-respect, Amanda takes a seat and says, “That’s no problem with me.”

Honestly. Does she not know how to avoid showing all her cards at once?

When I take a seat, he holds out his hand. “I’m Aaron.”

I take his hand and notice how rough it is. It’s a working hand, one that experiences strenuous hours on the jobsite, day in, day out. “Amelia, and this is my friend, Amanda.”

Aaron nods at Amanda. “Nice to meet you.”

“Pleasure is mine and just so you know, Amelia is single and definitely on the market. Want me to give you her number?”

“Amanda, what the hell are you—?”

“I would love it,” Aaron says, leaning back in his chair while sipping his drink.

Slowly turning toward him, a little stunned, I ask, “You would?”

He nods with all the confidence in the world. “I would.”

“But you don’t know me. I could be a shovel-wielding rabbit killer.”

He leans forward, his chest flexing under his shirt with the movement. “I’ll take my chances.”

Now feeling a little skeptical, I fold my arms over my chest and ask, “Why do you want it?”

He bites down on his straw and studies me for a second before saying, “Can’t let a girl walk out the door without getting her number who’s that passionate about Buffalo chicken pizza. It’s just not physically possible.”

“Aw, he likes you for your crazy; he’s a keeper,” Amanda chimes in with her mouth full of pizza. “It’s 607—”

“Amanda, just be quiet for a second.” Looking at Aaron, I say, “Three Buffalo chicken pizza slices in exchange for three veggie and my phone number.”

“No way.” He shakes his head. “You can’t take all my Buffalo.”

“But I thought you wanted my number.”

“I do.” He leans forward some more, his fresh scent hitting me hard in the chest. “But we both know if I give you three slices, you will have zero respect for me because no man in his right mind would give up three Buffalo slices. No matter how hot the chick is.” Eeep, he thinks I’m hot. “But I will counter you with one and a half slices and a number.”

I sit back now, watching how his smile starts to spread. God, he’s just so . . . yum. He looks like he’s quite a few years older than me. Not just because of his face, but there is something in his eyes that makes him seem older. He’s definitely not in his second year of college like me. Not wanting to fold so quickly, I counter. “Two slices, my number, and a guaranteed date this Friday.”

He sits back, his eyes widen, and that smile gets even bigger. “Fucking deal.” He holds his hand out and we shake.”
― Meghan Quinn, quote from The Other Brother

“At this point in the course, everyone in the room despised Akiko, but suddenly he admired her courage to think so differently and to suggest such a difficult truth. He felt lucky to be at a university and not in most other settings, where the person in charge was always right. Nevertheless, until he really listened to Akiko disagree with the professor, he had not thought for himself fully, and it had never occurred to him to disagree in public.”
― Min Jin Lee, quote from Pachinko

“I told him some of my best stories: the one about the sewer and the train tracks and the neighbor's dogs. Weylyn seemed unimpressed.
"What? You got something better?"
Weylyn smiled, "I was young once, too.”
― Ruth Emmie Lang, quote from Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance

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BookQuoters is a community of passionate readers who enjoy sharing the most meaningful, memorable and interesting quotes from great books. As the world communicates more and more via texts, memes and sound bytes, short but profound quotes from books have become more relevant and important. For some of us a quote becomes a mantra, a goal or a philosophy by which we live. For all of us, quotes are a great way to remember a book and to carry with us the author’s best ideas.

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