Much of my life had been devoted to trying not to cry in front of people who loved me, so I knew what Augustus was doing. You clench your teeth. You look up. You tell yourself that if they see you cry, it will hurt them, and you will be nothing but a Sadness in their lives, and you must not become a mere sadness, so you will not cry, and you say all of this to yourself while looking up at the ceiling, and then you swallow even though your throat does not want to close and you look at the person who loves you and smile.
John GreenAugustus: โYou probably need some rest.โ Me: โIโm okay.โ Augustus: โOkay.โ (Pause.) โWhat are you thinking about?โ Me: โYou.โ Augustus: โWhat about me?โ Me: โโI do not know which to prefer, / The beauty of inflections / Or the beauty of innuendos, / The blackbird whistling / Or just after.โโ Augustus: โGod, you are sexy.โ Me: โWe could go to your room.โ Augustus: โIโve heard worse ideas.
John GreenI'm a good person but a shitty writer. You're a shitty person but a good writer. We'd make a good team.
John GreenUh-uh, dude. I tried it your way with the dating and the girls and the kissing and the drama, and man, I didn't like it. Plus, my best friend is a walking cautionary tale of what happens to you when romantic relationships don't involve marriage. Like you always say, kafir, everything ends in breakup, divorce, or death. I want to narrow my misery options to divorce or death - that's all.
John GreenWe are engaged here in the most important pusuit in history. The search for meaning. What is What is the nature of being a person? What is the best way to go about being a person?How did we come to be, and wha will become of us when we are no longer? In short: What are the rules this game, and how might we best play it?
John Green