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141 " Really?" I say. "I love reality TV."It's not like I'm unused to this reaction. But part of me feels like her disapproval equals Alex's disapproval, and a sore spot appears along with an urge to press on it."I don't know how you can watch that stuff," Sarah says. "
― Emily Henry , People We Meet on Vacation
142 " Even if Jason Stanley and every other bully from my past were here, mocking me through a megaphone, I don’t think I’d stop dancing clumsily with Alex in the street "
143 " And then there were people like me, who labored under the misconception that eventually, My Fellow Children would not only tolerate but ultimately respect me for being myself. "
144 " And then there were people like me, who labored under the misconception that eventually, My Fellow Children would not only tolerate but ultimately respect me for being myself. There’s nothing so off-putting to some people as someone who seems not to care whether anyone else approves of them. "
145 " Sometimes it feels like I didn’t even exist before that. Like you invented me.”Heat rushes to my cheeks, and I adjust my position in my seat, pulling my knees into my chest. “I’m not smart enough to have invented you. No one’s that smart.”The muscles along his jaw leap as he considers his next words, never one to blurt anything out without first weighing it. “My point is, no one really knew me "
146 " I realize that he’s crying. I touch the side of his face. “Sorry,” he says, closing his eyes. “I just . . . I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you. "
147 " Our water taxi driver is named Buck, and he’s not much older than us, with a tangle of sun-bleached yellow hair sticking out from under his mesh-backed hat. He’s handsome in an utterly filthy way, with that specifically beachy kind of body odor mixed with patchouli. It should be repulsive, but he makes it work. "
148 " Everything is because of you "
149 " We went two years without talking, and I thought about you every day and I gave you the space I thought you wanted, and that whole time I asked myself what I’d be willing to do, to give up, if you decided you wanted to be with me too. "
150 " I wish I could bottle this moment and wear it as perfume. "
151 " What about traveling?” I ask in the lull between songs. “What about it?” he says. “Love or hate?” His mouth presses into an even line as he considers. “Hard to say,” he replies. “I’ve never really been anywhere. Read about a lot of places, just haven’t seen any of them yet.” “Me neither,” I say. “Not yet.” He thinks for another moment. “Love,” he says. “I’m guessing love.” “Yeah.” I nod. “Me too. "
152 " It sounds so pathetic. I’m twenty-six years old with a full-time job and health insurance, and an apartment and student loan bills, and I live alone in New York City, but there are just some things you don’t want to have to do on your own. "
153 " I always figured that when I grew up, I'd leave my hometown and discover other people like me somewhere else. "
154 " There’s nothing so off-putting to some people as someone who seems not to care whether anyone else approves of them. Maybe it’s resentment: I have bent for the greater good, to follow the rules, so why haven’t you? You should care. "
155 " This is what I want for the rest of my life. To see new places. To meet new people. To try new things. I don't feel lost or out of place here. There's no Linfield to escape or long, boring classes to dread going back to. I'm anchored only in this moment. "
156 " And I’m probably going to have to stop a lot and set you down, and you’re not allowed to call me Seabiscuit, or scream Faster! Faster! in my ear. "
157 " If I could speak, I’d tell him this is the best kiss I’ve had in my entire life. That I didn’t know just kissing could feel this good. "
158 " I'm afraid of loving you for our entire lives, and then having to say goodbye. I'm afraid of you dying, and the world feeling useless. I'm afraid I won't be able to keep getting out of bed if you're gone, and if we had kids, they'd have these horrible lives where their amazing mom is gone, and their dad can't even look at them "
159 " Twenty-four. I can’t imagine making a decision like that at that age but all my brothers got married young, and Tham’s great. My dad’s even on board. He got a bumper sticker that says I’M A PROUD CHRIST FOLLOWER WHO LOVES MY GAY SON. "
160 " Wonder how I could ever stop feeling lonely when no one could ever know me all the way. When I could never peer into someone else’s brain and see it all. "