Misfortune is no excuse for cruelty.

But some people have to get lucky just to live. And I never knew I could make anybody lucky.

She's pretty." (It's amazing how girls can say this and make it the most withering insult.)

See, when you mess something up, you learn for the next time. It's when people compliment you that you're in trouble. That means they expect you to keep it up.

And I could have died right then. And considering how things went, I really should have.

I wasn’t gifted. Mom was wrong. I was just smart and I worked hard. I had fooled myself into thinking that was something important to the rest of the world. Other people were complicit in this ruse. Nobody had told me I was common.

People are screwed up in this world. I'd rather be with someone screwed up and open about it than somebody perfect and ready to explode.