petrichor

“Not every flower belongs in every garden.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ninth House

“What do you want?" Belbalm had asked her. Safety, comfort, to feel unafraid. I want to live to grow old, Alex thought as she pulled the curtains closed. I want to sit on my porch and drink foul-smelling tea and yell at passersby. I want to survive this world that keeps trying to destroy me.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ninth House

“It feels like shit to be alone. To be in a place full of people and feel like they don't want you there. To feel like you're at a party you weren't invited to. No one even knows your name. No one wants to. No one cares. Are they laughing at you? Talking about you? Are they sneering at you like their perfect world would be so much better if you weren't there, messing up their view?
Are they just wishing you'd get the hint already and leave?
I feel like that a lot. I know it's pathetic to want a place among other people, and I know you'll say it's better to stand in a crowd and be wrong, but... I still feel that need all the time. Do you ever feel it? I wonder if the cheerleader feels it. When the music stops and everyone goes home? When the day is gone and she doesn't have anyone to entertain herself with? When she removes her makeup, taking off her brave face for the day, do the demons she keeps buried start playing with her when there's no one else to play with?
I guess not. Narcissists don't have insecurities, right?
Must be nice.”
― Penelope Douglas, Punk 57

“But Neil Josten was a Fox. Andrew called his home; Nicky called him family. Neil wasn't going to lose any of it.”
― Nora Sakavic, The Raven King