adhiti

“His smile feels like a warning, but it's not the kind that precedes a prank. It's too sincere, his voice dropping low as he says, "I'll keep being your enemy, if that's what you'd prefer." His eyes drop down too, drifting to my lips with such weight and intent that I can almost feel the ghost brush of his gaze. "I can be whatever you want me to be.”
― Ann Liang, Never Thought I'd End Up Here

“When joy arrives, it catches me off guard. It sneaks up slowly through my rib cage like poppies pushing through soil after the rain, and then it’s there, everywhere, warmth beating in my chest, spreading down to my fingertips as I sink back in the sunlight.”
― Ann Liang, Never Thought I'd End Up Here

“There’s never been anybody else for me. There never will be.”
― Ann Liang, Never Thought I'd End Up Here

“Well, I'm sorry there are no giant neon arrows pointing to my head here, but it's a forest, Cyrus," I say, exasperated. "Its main characteristic is that it has trees."
"Describe—the rock—then ... Be specific..."
"Describe the rock?" My brows furrow as I turn toward it. If the situation weren't so dire, I'd think he was playing a prank on me. "It's pretty square, as far as rocks go. About the size of Prada's straw tote bag from last season. When you stare at it from a certain angle, the surface looks shockingly like the face of a sloth."
It's hard to tell if the heavy static crackling through the phone is from the patchy reception, or just from him sighing. "Please never—get lost again."
"I have no plans to," I reassure him. "But, like, what am I supposed to do now? Describe more rocks to you?"
"Stay there. I'll come find you—" And then the line breaks.”
― Ann Liang, Never Thought I'd End Up Here