I said no to having a beer. I once had a beer with my brother when I was twelve, and I just didn't like it. It's really that simple for me. [pp.37]

There are other people who have it a lot worse

The sound of the radio fades to nothing because the waves just can't reach

I'm going to be who I really am. I'm going to figure out what this is.

It's okay to feel things. And be who you are about them.

The inside jokes weren't jokes anymore. They had become stories. Nobody brought up the bad names or the bad times. And nobody felt sad as long as we could postpone tomorrow with more nostalgia.

And even if she says no, and really means yes, then quite frankly she's playing games and isn't worth the price of dinner.