Quotes from Barbara Dee

How do you know if you like someone because you really do like that person, or if you like him only because you think you're supposed to?

First rule of self-defense is: Don't ask your attacker for validation.

Okay, Mattie. I said okay." All of a sudden, she threw her arms around me and squeezed. "We won't talk about it if you don't want to.

I just meant this stuff with me is different . And I definitely wouldn't call it regular bullying." "So what would you call it, then?" I opened my mouth to answer. But I didn't have any words. Because all the words I could think of— bullying, teasing, flirting —seemed too simple, too small, to hold all the hurt I was feeling.

First rule of self-defense is: Don't ask your attacker for validation. Never apologize for sticking up for yourself.

All I could think about was Gemma kissing Liam, Liam kissing Gemma—and wondering why that image made my insides knot up.

Everything in the world is part of nature. All the creatures, even the weird ones, are just figuring out how to grow, how to change. How to survive. And maybe they need some help, but if they do, that's okay. I think they'll be okay.

You got judged one day at the very beginning, and that was it forever. Nothing you could do to change anyone's opinion.

What made a crush "obvious" to other people? Was it when someone noticed your drawing, and remembered it for months afterward? Or kept talking to you, but always with a bunch of awkward silences? Or wouldn't stop blushing? Or invited you to Comic Con?

Anyhow, one thing I've learned this past year is that we're all responsible for our own hearts. If someone does break ours—and I doubt you've actually broken this boy's—it's up to us to figure out a way forward.

But Cat FX said you had to improvise sometimes. And even when you didn't, even when all you had to do was follow directions, sometimes a step was missing. A secret ingredient. And you had to do the best you could with what you had.

People heal, sweetheart. We feel things, and then feelings change. People change. All the time.

What I'm about—what I'm all about—is revealing something true. Something deep inside, that maybe you didn't even know existed. But that you need to share with the world.

Ren, it's really important to share your feelings, you know? Because if you don't, they have a way of coming back to bite you in the butt.

Maybe you picked up stuff from your mom without even knowing it.

Love was choosing to take care of someone---not just family, but friends, too.

How about this—Romeo, you lean in several times as if you want to kiss Juliet, but Juliet, you always pull back. Can

My eyes had actual tears, and I thought: It's like this play is happening TO me. Inside me. I wanted to own it. I wanted to eat it, as