Lilly Collins > Lilly's Quotes

“You see, without the weird phase. Without the work, the struggle, there’d be no victory. Without the ugliness, there’d be no beauty.”
― Eliah Greenwood, Dear Love, I Hate You

“She’s wrong. So fucking wrong. There aren’t a million Aveena Harpers out there. My angry girl. My pen pal. My Love. Just one.”
― Eliah Greenwood, Dear Love, I Hate You

“So…” I start. “I… You wanted me to stop by?” Just so we’re clear, he’s still melting my insides with a single look, and I’m still a babbling idiot who can’t form a sentence. Xavier moves closer to me, a single whiff of his cologne enough to make my knees buckle. “No,” he shocks me by saying. My jaw hangs limply. “I wanted you to come and stay,” he corrects, and a herd of murderous butterflies assault my stomach. “Stay tonight?” He moves closer again. “Forever,” he says unapologetically. I avoid his gaze. “Xav, I—” “Don’t fucking go, Vee.” He cuts to the chase, cupping my face in his hands without a single thought as to the possibility of people seeing us. “I know this is shitty, and complicated, and it’d be easier for you to get on that plane, but… I don’t want easy—fuck easy. I want you. I love you, Vee,” he croaks, pressing his forehead flush to mine. “Just… stay.”
― Eliah Greenwood, Dear Love, I Hate You

“I’m never fucking deserting you, Harper.” His voice is so low I can hear my own heart pounding. “Deal with it.” Then he crashes his lips against mine. But Xavier Emery doesn’t just kiss you. Xavier Emery owns you.”
― Eliah Greenwood, Dear Love, I Hate You

“I remember looking at him like he was mental for suggesting to kiss my bloody knee, and he laughed at the realization. Then he grabbed my face, wiped a tear rolling down my cheek… And kissed me instead. Believe me when I say that shut me right up. Xavier Emery was my first kiss. But he’s still an asshole.”
― Eliah Greenwood, Dear Love, I Hate You

“I don’t want them because they don’t have a caterpillar tattoo on their shoulder.” Xav clutches my face with both hands. “I don’t want them because they’re not the only ones who get me in a world of fucking idiots.” He gives a breathy laugh, the garage’s fluorescent lights ”
― Eliah Greenwood, Dear Love, I Hate You

“You see, I happen to think we’re only as good as the worst thing we’ve ever done.”
― Eliah Greenwood, Dear Love, I Hate You

“People’s mistakes don’t define them, Zac.
It’s the decisions they make moving forward.”
― Eliah Greenwood, Dear Love, I Hate You

“Love: Have you ever had people close to you die?

Ten seconds go by.

Zac: Is this how you talk dirty? If so, we might need to work on that.”
― Eliah Greenwood, Dear Love, I Hate You

“You know.”

“Know what?” I ask.

“You going to make me say it? Really? Not cool, Harper.” He throws his head back, a sexy, lazy smirk plastered to his lips, and that sight alone is enough to melt my insides.

“I’m too tired for this shit. Just tell me already.”

“I liked you, Vee.”

My airways nearly close up.

“As a kid, I had the biggest fucking crush on you.”
― Eliah Greenwood, Dear Love, I Hate You

“Zac: Remember when I said no girl could ever keep my attention?

Love: Yeah?

My heart flutters with anticipation.

Zac: I think I was wrong.”
― Eliah Greenwood, Dear Love, I Hate You

“I could never see it before…

But I can now.

Parents aren’t superheroes.

Superhumans.

They’re just humans, doing their best, making mistakes, getting knocked on their ass and crawling until they can get back up again.”
― Eliah Greenwood, Dear Love, I Hate You

“I love you. I’ve loved you since the day I barbecued your babies and pushed you down the jungle gym just so I could kiss you.” He pauses, pain lacing his voice. “I fucking love you, Vee… And I’m paying for it.”
― Eliah Greenwood, Dear Love, I Hate You

“Still here?” he drawls when he notices me.
“Still a presumptuous asshole?” I snap back.
I expect him to double down on the nasty replies, to crush me with spite, so you can imagine my surprise when he clamps his mouth shut, the corners of his lips twitching into a small smile. His pale eyes rake over my face for a second too long, and I squirm under his undivided attention.
Why, oh why, does he have to look like that?
Low blow, Life, low blow.”
― Eliah Greenwood, Dear Love, I Hate You

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I spin to leave.
“No fucking way.” It clicks in his mind. “Little Vee?”
Here he is.
“You’re that girl Finn and I used to…” He doesn’t complete his sentence, but I know all too well what he was going to say.
“Annoy? Tease? Torture? Why, yes, that would be me. Did you seriously just figure that out? A bit slow, are we?” I snark.
My outburst only seems to amuse him.
“Look, in my defense, your mom only ever called you ‘Vee.’ I thought it was short for Vicky or Vivian or something. And it was ten years ago. I can’t even remember what I had for dinner last night.”
“Whatever.” I shrug.
“Shit, I’ve got to say, Vee.” He gives me a once-over. “Puberty did you a solid.”
My cheeks combust.
“Wish I could say the same about you,” I lie through my teeth.
Xavier smiles at my failed attempt to deny the undeniable. Let’s not pretend like puberty didn’t do every female on earth a solid when Xavier Emery went from “cute” to “sinfully hot” in the span of a summer.
“I think you mispronounced thank you.” He flashes a smug grin that makes me want to knee him where it hurts.”
― Eliah Greenwood, Dear Love, I Hate You

“You really want to know?” He drags out the suspense.
“Yes.” I grow restless. “Spill.”
“Well, for starters… most guys our age aren’t looking to date.” He elaborates. “They just want to fuck around. And those who do want to date are only looking for a girl to make them feel good about themselves.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning they want her to laugh at their jokes, stroke their egos, give good head and… that’s pretty much it.” He draws a small smile out of me. “So, when guys like that see a girl like you, a girl who doesn’t look easy or desperate, they get intimidated. Label her high-maintenance and run like hell. You’re beauty and brains, Vee. You’re an immature high school boy’s worst nightmare.”
― Eliah Greenwood, Dear Love, I Hate You

“So… hypothetically speaking, you’d be okay with me being pregnant?” He stops to think about it. “Hypothetically speaking, I want to marry your ass and have babies with you. How’s that?” I’m smiling so wide I’m sure you can see it from outer-space. I respond the only way I can think of, by gripping his collar into my fists and crashing my lips to his for a long, heated kiss. “Hypothetically speaking, you’re crazy.” I pant. Xavier pouts. “Why?” “For starters, we’re nineteen and you’ll change your mind.” “Okay, but what if—” Xavier pecks the tip of my nose. —hypothetically speaking, I ask you in a year or two once you understand how much I could never change my fucking mind about you even if I wanted to?” My heart is beating so fast you’d think it’s trying to go into cardiac arrest. “Well, then, hypothetically, I’d say yes.” “Cool. So, hypothetically, can we go the fuck home now so I can strip you naked and—” he leans forward to whisper the rest in my ear.”
― Eliah Greenwood, Dear Love, I Hate You

“I want a mobster’s son with the face of an angel and the rap sheet of a street kid. I want the singer with a soft heart wrapped in barbs and trip wires of devastating wit to keep it safe. I want the billionaire’s unwanted son with eyes of ice and an endless love for his sister.”
― J. Bree, Just Drop Out

“I’m keeping you forever. I don’t do this shit for anything but keeps.”
― J. Bree, Play the Game

“Are you still angry? I can’t sleep with rage in the air, it gives me heartburn.”
― J. Bree, Play the Game

“I need all the chocolate in this damn building, Avery.” She side eyes me again and then pets my arm in a way that should have been condescending but instead was affectionate. “I hear drinking the blood of your enemies helps with PMS. I’ll ask Ash to bring us a gallon.”
― J. Bree, Make Your Move

“... it occurs to me that this is what it means to be a feminist. Not a humanist or an equalist or whatever. But a feminist. It’s not a bad word. After today it might be my favorite word. Because really all it is is girls supporting each other and wanting to be treated like human beings in a world that’s always finding ways to tell them they’re not.”
― Jennifer Mathieu, Moxie

“Making girls monitor their behavior and their appearance because boys are supposedly unable to control themselves? That is one of the oldest fucking tricks in the book.”
― Jennifer Mathieu, Moxie

“It said girls are a revolutionary soul force that can change the world for real.”
― Jennifer Mathieu, Moxie

“It’s just contributing to the narrative that girls have to monitor their bodies and behaviors, and boys have the license and freedom to act like animals. Don’t you think that’s unfair to girls? Don’t you think that’s shortchanging boys? The whole thing is just toxic.”
― Jennifer Mathieu, Moxie

“I'm frustrated with him, but I'm also frustrated with myself. That I can't find the words to explain it to him. I'm totally sure he's not doing it on purpose, but Seth is a guy, and he can't ever know what it feels like to walk down a hallway and know that you're getting judged for the size of your ass or how big your boobs are. He'll never understand what it's like to second guess everything you wear and how you sit and walk and stand in case it doesn't attract the right kind of attention, or worse, attracts the wrong kind. He'll never get how scary and crazy-making it is to feel like you belong to some big Boy Monster that decides it can grab you and touch you and rank you whenever and however it wants.”
― Jennifer Mathieu, Moxie

“Audre Lorde quote on them. YOUR SILENCE WILL NOT PROTECT YOU.”
― Jennifer Mathieu, Moxie

“It’s like I’m living in a feminist fantasy,” Lucy says. “But it can’t be a complete fantasy because Roxane Gay isn’t here.”
― Jennifer Mathieu, Moxie

“It’s ridiculous. Why should girls be responsible for what boys think and do? Like the boys aren’t able to control themselves?”
― Jennifer Mathieu, Moxie

“And you telling me not all guys are like that doesn’t really help me feel better. Because some guys are like that. A lot of them, actually.”
― Jennifer Mathieu, Moxie