She’d felt like being nice cost her something, even if it was just feeling a little bit lesser, every time she smiled without meaning to.

I’m not doing much, said Jared, warm in her mind, the amusement lingering. Just stuck in an elevator with this creepy Asian girl giving me a death glare.

She’d always thought she was sensible about romance: she hadn’t ever wanted any sort of wild destructive passion that would interfere with college applications. She had thought love would change the story she told about herself too much, that love would make her story less smart or less meaningful. She’d had Jared in her head all the time, though. She’d had love already. Only those who already had love could afford to dismiss it.

She had always thought she needed to be in control, but now she found she did not want to put any limits on herself at all. She wanted to be the person she was, and not the person anyone, including herself, had ever thought she should be. She had thought a lot lately about making all the love stories her own, of telling them her own way.

He had been wishing for love his whole life, and if he’d had just one wish that wish would have been her. He was not sure how it had happened, or why: but the wish granted, he had to prove he could deserve it. He did not know how to be grateful enough.

So this is the “smug idiot thinks he’s funny” face, Kami observed. Not to be confused with other “smug idiot” variants. And everyone told me English girls were so sweet, Jared said, and then: Oh, hey.

I read books, but I do it because I want to – because it’s like an escape in my head, like being with you.

At the point when Jared relayed Ash’s habit of hiding his cuddly toys in the freezer, Kami started to laugh in the movie theater. Ash glanced over at her. “Sorry,” Kami murmured. “Just – the movie’s funny.” Ash looked back at the movie, in which a small blond child was dying of leukemia. “I have a very warped sense of humor,” Kami whispered.

He was naturally kind, she was starting to realize, which was better than being charming.

You were not the first dream I ever had, but you were the only dream that ever felt real. You were the dream the taught me I did have a soul. I don’t know how low I will fall or what evil I will do, but I know you. I know there is nothing between us and there never could be. But I would do whatever you asked. I would do anything you want. If I had anything Worth giving to you, I would give it. If I had anything to sacrifice, I would sacrifice it for you.