Insider Quotes

“An island can be dreadful for someone from outside. Everything is complete, and everyone has his obstinate, sure and self-sufficient place. Within their shores, everything functions according to rituals that are as hard as rock from repetition, and at the same time they amble through their days as whimsically and casually as if the world ended at the horizon.”
― Tove Jansson, The Summer Book

“There’s a writer for you,” he said. “Knows everything and at the same time he knows nothing.”

[narrator]It was my first inkling that he was a writer. And while I like writers—because if you ask a writer anything you usually get an answer—still it belittled him in my eyes. Writers aren’t people exactly. Or, if they’re any good, they’re a whole lot of people trying so hard to be one person. It’s like actors, who try so pathetically not to look in mirrors. Who lean backward trying—only to see their faces in the reflecting chandeliers.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Love of the Last Tycoon

“I am not an outsider. I am an insider who discovered that everyone else had gone out.”
― Stephen J. Day, Horizontal - The Recumbent Adventures of Philias Switchmoat

“Gram?” I asked. “You okay?”
“Damn men,” she said. “I fell in the toilet.”
I busted out laughing. Tears of laughter coursed down my face. “Oh God,” I said, still laughing.
Caeden was blushing. Even his ears were red. “I did tell you I can never remember to put the toilet seat down.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“He chuckled. “Most girls want jewelry. Instead you want a balloon. How did I get to lucky? Which color do you want?”
“That one,” I pointed to a pale blue one.
The gray haired man running the balloon cart seemed to find Caeden and me very amusing.
“Mommy! Mommy!” A little kid behind me shrieked. “I want one! Boon! Boon!”
“No,” she said, from the tone of her voice I could tell she was exhausted.
“Boon! Boon!” the little girl cried as the mom picked her up and balanced her on her hip.
I looked over at Caeden and saw him holding two balloons. He grinned. “What? I heard someone else wanted a balloon and I just can’t resist a damsel in distress.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Before I knew what was happening the game was starting. A guy from the other team looked me over. “But you’re a girl,” he yelled and looked over at his coach. “She’s a girl!”
Bryce stood up in the stands. “No dip dumb shit! Of course she’s a girl! She has boobies and a-” Caeden tackled Bryce before anything else could slip out of his mouth.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Kyle tapped Caeden’s shoulder. “Isn’t your little brother the one who sang the Fergie song at the top of his lungs during that assembly last year.”
Caeden buried his face in his hands. “That’s the one.”
Shane snickered. “I watched that on youtube.”
“He did a dance too,” Tyler said, and began to, I guess, mimic it. The other guys joined in and they began to sing the lyrics to Glamorous.
“Oh God,” Caeden croaked. “Youtube?”
They finished mimicking and Shane said, “Yeah, it’s on youtube. It’s got like a million hits or something.”
“A million?” Caeden squeaked.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“I feel like someone’s going to see my hot pocket if the wind blows this thing up a bit.”
I snorted. “Gram!”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“He started wrapping the fabric around my eyes and I laughed, “Caeden, what are you doing?”
“I think that’s pretty obvious. I’m blindfolding you, silly girl.”
He secured the knot on the back of my head. “You better not mess up my hair,” I warned.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“I held onto Caeden’s neck with one hand and used the other to keep my dress from flashing my fanny at any unsuspecting woodland creatures. The sight might shock them to death.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“What are you watching?”
“Infomercials,” I said.
Bryce laughed and wiped his hands on his pajama pants before grabbing the house phone off the side table. “These are the best. I love calling and asking them questions.”
“Like what?”
“You’ll see,” he grinned mischievously, waggling his eyebrows, and punched in the number.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Is princess here?” Coach called from his office.
“The she-wolf has arrived!” Evan yelled back.
Coach emerged from his office and stood in front of us.
Oh God, he had the short shorts on again.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Evan looked at my empty pizza box and then held up three fingers, “You’re hot, you play soccer, and you have a very healthy appetite. Please marry me?”
I laughed and leaned into Caeden who then put his arm around me. “Sorry, you know I’m taken.”
“Darn,” Evan smiled. “Have any sisters?”
“Only child.”
“So not fair,” he said. Evan looked over at Caeden. “You better put a ring on that before someone tries to sweep her out from under you.”
Caeden grinned and kissed my cheek. “I’m not worried,” he winked at me.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Watcha doin’?” Caeden flopped down on the couch beside me.
“Homework, you should really try it sometime.”
He snorted. “You don’t even know what grades I make.”
“I’m sure they suck.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Caeden grabbed my hand and grinned like a little boy in a candy shop. “Carnival time!” He drug me from the car and then behind him as he headed to a ring toss game. “I think I need to win my girl a prize,” he said.
I laughed.
“What?” he shrugged. “It’s like a rite of passage. Every boyfriend has to win his girlfriend a prize,” he winked, turning my stomach to jelly.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“He leaned over, putting his hand on my face, and tracing my cheek with his thumb. “I will always take care of you.” –Caeden to Sophie”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Hey ya’ll, you’ll never believe what I just heard! Apparently some girl totally flipped out on the Ferris wheel.”
I paled.
“Oh God, it was you wasn’t it?” he looked at me and busted out laughing. “It figures.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“You always did look like a girl as a baby. Is there something you’d like to let me know?”
“I did not look like a girl,” Bryce said between gritted teeth. “I just had luscious hair, don’t be hatin’.” –Caeden and Bryce”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“I wanted to smack Logan over the head for his pessimistic attitude.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“I laughed. “I don’t care if you’re nice or not. I just want you to be you. No more pretending. I think it’s time we all got to know the real Logan Lyke.”
“What if I don’t know who the real me is?” he asked.
“Then I guess you better find yourself,” I smiled.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“How come you didn’t win me anything?” Charlotte asked Bryce.
Bryce looked at the smorgasbord of stuffed critters that Caeden had won for me. “Because babe,” he turned to her, “I don’t do clichés.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“I found Caeden lying on my bed with both the dogs. He was talking to them and petting Archie behind his ears.
It was like our own little family.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“I felt my knees turn to jelly. I never thought I’d be one of those girls who swooned over their boyfriend but Caeden was completely, and undeniably, swoon-worthy.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Don’t you two dare say a thing,” she pointed a finger at us, straightening her skirt with the other hand. “Just bite your tongues.”
“You look great, Lucinda.”
“And you’re a liar and should have your mouth washed out with soap,” she tugged on the sleeves of her cardigan.
“Nice pearls,” I pointed to her neck.
“Didn’t I tell ya’ll to bite yer tongues,” Gram’s southern drawl became more pronounced when she was irritated.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“Evan slung his arm over my shoulder. “That’s my mom and dad,” he pointed to a couple approaching us as families trickled onto the field. “Mom! Get a picture of me and she-wolf?”
“Sure, sure,” the strawberry blonde lady said, digging in her purse. “Aha! Here it is. I’m Elaine, Evan’s mom,” she announced to us. “Now smile!”
I smiled but just before the flash went off Evan kissed my cheek. I gasped in surprise, probably making the funniest face known to man.
Evan snatched the camera from his mom and laughed. “That is totally going to be my facebook profile pic. Take a look she-wolf.”
He turned the camera so I could see the image on the screen.
Oh, God.
I narrowed my eyes and pointed a finger at Evan. “You better promise me that, that picture never sees the light of day.”
“Well, technically it’s already seen the light of day, seeing as it’s the morning and all.”
“Evan, you know what I mean.”
“Fine,” he lowered his head, “I won’t post it on facebook.”
“Or twitter, instagram, or any other picture sharing site. Got it? Maybe you should just delete it now?”
“Nah,” Evan grinned. “I’m keeping this forever and ever as proof that I kissed the she-wolf.”
― Micalea Smeltzer

“As students cross the threshold from outside to insider, they also cross the threshold from superficial learning motivated by grades to deep learning motivated by engagement with questions. Their transformation entails an awakening--even, perhaps, a falling in love.”
― John C. Bean, Engaging Ideas: The Professor's Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom

“In heist movies, there's always a montage of scenes where the caper crew rehearses for the big day. The greaser person practices maneuvering through a mock laser beam field made up of string. The driver races through obstacle courses, back alleys, and dark city streets. The hacker pounds on her keyboard, staring at screens full of code. The gadget person demonstrates all their clever toys. The key master practices opening a safe. The muscle finds a few security guards to knock unconscious and wrestles guard dogs to the ground. The inside person seduces or befriends the target and gets them to spill their secrets. And the leader organizes it all with the help of her second-in-command.
At least, that's the way it works in the movies. In real life, with a bunch of newbs who are scraping by with low-paying jobs, inflexible hours, difficult bosses, and a bunch of side gigs to make ends meet, just organizing a rehearsal heist was one hell of a task.”
― Sara Desai, To Have and to Heist

“The Innocent child Inside you are Always the Best Part of Your Life.”
― Pradip Bendkule

“I’m not an outsider because I see the inside of you.”
― Donna Goddard, Prana

“He's resourceful and very good with people. His job will be to form a connection with someone in the mansion so he can get inside and feed us information."
"I'll bet he's good with people," Emma muttered. "So long as the people have boobs, money, and utterly no taste."
"You remind me of someone I really cared about." Cristian gave her a smooth, guileless smile that made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. "We should hang out. I've always enjoyed spending time with older women. You could teach me how to knit."
Emma's face turned three shades of fury. "Give me a pair of knitting needles and I'll shove them up your---”
― Sara Desai, To Have and to Heist