She hadn't chosen him over all the others. The truth was that she hadn't even thought about anyone else.

You'll get used to it. In the end you won't even notice it anymore," he said. "How is that possible? It will always be there, right before my eyes." "Exactly," said Mattia. "Which is precisely why you won't see it anymore.

People took what they wanted, they clutched at coincidences, the few there were, and made a life from them. . . . Choices are made in brief seconds and paid for in the time that remains.

but his eyes were too dark for her to make out any spark in them

With a little effort, she could get up by herself

Mattia thought that he and Alice were like that, twin primes, alone and lost, close but not close enough to really touch each other.

She found herself thinking of how it would feel to be safely trapped in his arms, with no more possibility to choose.