Samantha

“Love is kind, love is patient but also, mainly, above all—yes—Love is perverted.”
― Caroline Kepnes, Hidden Bodies

“Are we living in such a throwaway society that we’re not even allowed to hang on to our hatred and remorse?”
― Paul Cleave, The Cleaner

“I knew better than that. Like throwing away well-intentioned phone numbers, I knew better than to ask for things I clearly couldn’t have.
“Can this one camera be disabled without another one going up in its place?” I asked promptly, and watched shock pass across his shadowed face.
“No cameras, no mics?”
"That’s it?”
“It would be nice to have one place that’s genuinely private,” I explained with a shrug. It almost felt strange to have my hair shifting across my back and shoulders with the gesture. “You can see us everywhere else we go, even watch us on the toilet if you had a wish to. Having just a single place devoid of cameras would be beneficial. A mental-health exercise, in a way.”
He watched me for a long time before answering. “Something that benefits all of you.”
“Yes.”
“I tell you to ask for anything, and you ask for something that benefits all of you.”
“It benefits me too.” He laughed again and reached for me, pulling me against his chest so he could kiss me. His hands moved over the fastenings of my dress, and as he lowered me to the mist-damp stone, I closed my eyes and let my thoughts drift off to Annabel Lee and her grave in the kingdom by the sea. I didn’t think angels would ever be jealous of me.”
― Dot Hutchison, The Butterfly Garden

“If he thinks I’m going to sit around crying over him, he’s got another thing coming. I can live without him, I can do without him just fine—but I don’t like to lose. It’s not like me. None of this is like me. I don’t get rejected. I’m the one who walks away.”
― Paula Hawkins, The Girl on the Train