CJ

“I'll do whatever it takes to finally become myself--whoever that is.
"I'm ready to change.”
― Adam Silvera, First Face - A Ness Prequel Short Story

“Do you know the names of the stars?" I ask Luna.
Luna turns from the cauldron and points. "Those two at the very top are Lerrel and Sillis. The brightest one above the left eye is Shalev, and Mal is below the right. The dimmest is Ness--"
"Ness," I interrupt, feeling the name light me up like a firefly surrounded in pitch-black darkness. I like that this star is the dimmest in the entire constellation. I've spent too much of my life on the wrong stages and I wouldn't mind going unnoticed until I'm ready to present the best version of myself. "Call me Ness from now on.”
― Adam Silvera, First Face - A Ness Prequel Short Story

“Dad rests his hand on my shoulder and looks me in the eye. "Keep making me proud, Eduardo."
These tiny moments of affection are how he's trapped me over the years. The pat on the back after I threatened to have Peter McCall drowned if he ever used his water power in front of me. How Dad bandaged my hand after I beat down Harry Gardner. The praise after Rhys Stone was killed. I've attacked an entire community of people because I got some fatherly love from it. But every time I think about my mother, I know she wouldn't have raised me to be so hateful. I need to change and be someone she would've been proud to call her son.
It's hard when there's so much blood on my hands already.
Sometimes I think about how I would rather be dead than keep hiding my monstrosities behind this mask.”
― Adam Silvera, First Face - A Ness Prequel Short Story

“The gray light washes over me again and gives me back everything that I was.
Not everything.
Eduardo Iron is dead like the world believes.
Ness Arroyo lives on.”
― Adam Silvera, First Face - A Ness Prequel Short Story