Twilight

When life offers you a dream so far beyond any of your expectations, it’s not reasonable to grieve when it comes to an end (1).

Sometimes I wondered if I was seeing the same things through my eyes that the rest of the world was seeing through theirs. Maybe there was a glitch in my brain. But the cause didn’t matter. All that mattered was the effect. And tomorrow would be just the beginning (11).

I can do this, I lied to myself feebly (14).

I usually cried when I was angry, a humiliating tendency (25).

I began to feel like I was treading water, instead of drowning in it (29).

I looked down at my book as soon as his eyes released me, trying to find my place. Cowardly as ever, I shifted my hair over my right shoulder to hide my face. I couldn’t believe the rush of emotion pulsing through me – just because he’d happened to look at me for the first time in a half-dozen weeks. I couldn’t allow him to have this level of influence over me. It was pathetic. More than pathetic, it was unhealthy (73-74).

I told you – I got tired of trying to stay away from you. So I’m – giving up trying to be good. I’m just going to do what I want now, and let the chips fall where they may (88).

Only two options seemed practical. The first was to take his advice: to be smart, to avoid him as much as possible. To cancel our plans, to go back ignoring him as far as I was able. To pretend there was an impenetrably thick glass wall between us in the one class where we were forced to together. To tell him to leave me alone – and mean it this time (138).

Don’t you see, Bella? It’s one thing for me to make myself miserable, but a wholly other thing for you to be so involved. I don’t want to hear that you feel that way. It’s wrong. It’s not safe. I’m dangerous, Bella – please, grasp that (190).

It was very hard, in the morning, to argue with the part of me that was sure last night was a dream. Logic wasn’t on my side, or common sense. I clung to the parts I couldn’t  have imagined – like his smell. I was sure I could never have dreamed that up on my own (196).

Don’t you see? That’s what proves me right. I care the most, because if I can do it…if leaving is the right thing to do, then I’ll hurt myself to keep from hurting you, to keep you safe (211).

"Twilight, again. Another ending. No matter how perfect the day is, it always has to end."

I felt like I was trapped in one of those terrifying nightmares, the one where you have to run, run till your lungs burst, but you can't make your body move fast enough. My legs seemed to move slower and slower as I fought my way back through the callous crowd, but the hands of the huge clock tower didn't slow. With relentless, uncaring force, they turned inexorably toward the end-the end of everything.