Starters

Did Cinderella ever consider fessing up to the prince, that night she was enjoying herself in the fancy ball gown? Did she even think of telling him, oh, by the way, Prince, the coach isn’t mine, I’m really a filthy little barefoot servant on borrowed time? No. She took her moment. And then went quietly away after midnight.

No one ever complained about a fat brain. No one ever accused their brain of being too short or too tall, too wide or too narrow. Or ugly. It either worked or it didn't, and mine worked just fine.

I need you to go talk to a girl who may have some information about Emma." "Where is she?" "Someplace you're not going to want to go." (...) "I give up. Where?" "Institution 37." I felt a hitch in my breathing. I leaned back against the wall. "Could I pick hell instead?

Probably my favorite body part. No one ever complained about a fat brain. No one ever accused their brain of being too short or too tall, too wide or too narrow. Or ugly. It either worked or it didn't, and mine worked just fine.

It's like you are a car, a nice car that hadn't been washed for a year. And then you got a wash and wax and all the trimmings. You're sparkling, but you're still the same great car.

We had no choice. We ran into darkness of the early morning leaving everything behind.

I knew that feeling, the sense of panic that stretched time, turning seconds into years, and the deep pain that came from being hurt by not one person but many, a gang of bullies that expanded into a neighborhood and then into a community, until you questioned the whole world. And your last thought, as you stretch your arm until your fingers are inches from that lifeline, is how if you survive, you'll find a way to help fix what was broken, so you can say that yes, you want to be part of the world again.

I don't know you, but I'm sorry for having to use you in this way. And I'm sorry for the world we've left you

Si ultimul tau gand, cand intinzi disperat bratul si ajungi cu varfurile degetelor la numai cativa centimetri de cordonul de siguranta, este ca, daca vei supravietui vei gasi o cale prin care sa repari ce s-a stricat, pentru a putea spune "da, vreau sa fac parte din nou din lume".

Probably my favorite body part. No one ever complained about a fat brain.

Mexico, can you believe they built that wall so Americans couldn’t cross over?

Cenerentola aveva mai pensato di confessare tutto al principe quella notte in cui si stava tanto divertendo col suo favoloso abito da ballo? Aveva mai pensato di dirgli: "Oh, a proposito, principe, la carrozza non è mia, in realtà sono una servetta sporca che va sempre in giro a piedi nudi e ha i minuti contati?" No. Lei si era goduta il suo momento. E poi era sgattaiolata via di nascosto dopo mezzanotte.

Aveva l'espressione di un astronauta fluttuante nello spazio a cui si è sganciato il cavo e ha una sola possibilità di afferare una corda di salvataggio o di vagare per sempre nel nero infinito. Conoscevo quella sensazione, il panico che sembrava allungare il tempo, che trasformava i secondi in anni, e il dolore di essere feriti non da una persona, ma da molte, una banda di bulli che cresceva fino a includere il tuo quartiere e poi tutta la comunità, fino a spingerti a mettere in dubbio il mondo intero. E l'ultimo pensiero mentre allungavi il braccio fin quasi a sfiorare quella corda di salvataggio è in che modo, se fossi sopravvissuto, avresti potuto riparare quello che si era rotto, per poter dire che sì, volevi di nuovo essere parte di quel mondo.

That close, his eyes made the world disappear. He smelled clean. Like summers before the war. Like sanctuary.