Rachel

“Lowering his voice, he said, "In America we have a custom. When you're given presents for your birthday, you're supposed to open them and say thank you."
Tatiana nervously looked down at the present. "Thank you." Gifts were not something she was used to. Wrapped gifts? Unheard of, even when they came wrapped only in plain brown paper.
"No. Open first. Then say thank you."
She smiled. "What do I do? Do I take the paper off?"
"Yes. You tear it off."
"And then what?"
"And then you throw it away."
"The whole present or just the paper?"
Slowly he said, "Just the paper."
"But you wrapped it so nicely. Why would I throw it away?"
"It's just paper."
"If it's just paper, why did you wrap it?"
"Will you please just open my present?" said Alexander”
― Paullina Simons, The Bronze Horseman

“Noah stood slowly, his body skimming mine as he rose. "Today. Tonight. Tomorrow. Forever." Noah's eyes held mind. his stare was infinite. "I was made for you, Mara.”
― Michelle Hodkin, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

“I was falling apart, and all my pieces were scattering to the wind.”
― Michelle Hodkin, The Evolution of Mara Dyer

“I pointed to a low bowl filled with what purported to be stew, but then Noah said, “Are you going
to point, or are you going to eat?”
“I just like to know what I’m putting in my mouth before I swallow.”
Noah arched an eyebrow, and I wanted to crawl into a hole and die.”
― Michelle Hodkin, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer