I half-expect to check out, but I'm really there for it. It's not like at the dance, angry and forced. It's terrible in its gentleness, and he's just wasting it on me.

— Courtney Summers

I hate that I'm so numb and empty and disconnected from most of these people, but even I can see worth in stupid little moments like these. These people aren't even my family, but I can see their value and if I can see it in something this small, when I feel this bad, then---Then why didn't he?

— Courtney Summers

I hope I’m the ghost that belongs to her.

— Courtney Summers

I mean, you know how it is. You chase a bottle of sleeping pills with a bottle of Jack Daniel's and life's never the same, no matter how many times you try to tell people it was just an accident.

— Courtney Summers

I’m sorry,” he tells me. I sit down on the bed. He returns to the view of the street below. I follow his gaze and I see the infected walking slowly back and forth.“It’s okay,” I say.”Okay,” he says. He nods. “Good.” He puts the gun under his chin and pulls the trigger.

— Courtney Summers

I spot a fly floating on the surface of the water, its little legs pumping madly as it fights to keep itself afloat. I know that feeling.

— Courtney Summers

I think you're crazy good at this survival stuff, Cary." His shoulders sag. He gives me a small, relieved smile, and we start walking again, his step a little lighter than it was before. It feels strange to have that kind of power over someone." I mean, you're crazy good at it for a stoner who couldn't seem to get his shit together academically at all," I add.

— Courtney Summers

I thought it could be something, I mean, eventually." Harrison finally looks at us. "My life I thought-but I mean... it's nothing."" Don't cry" Grace says. "You have a lot of time."" No, I don't."" Yeah, you do."" No.-""Yeah! Yeah, you do. It's okay. Look-"She does something that is so amazingly selfless and also gross. She tilts Harrison's face up and gives him a sweet kiss on the lips, and it lasts long enough for him to taste her back, to move his mouth against hers. Harrison stares at her dumbfounded, but he's stopped crying She is so nice.

— Courtney Summers

It's amazing how bad you can make the truth sound. As long as you keep it partially recognizable when you spit it out, a crowd will eat it up without even thinking about how hard you chewed on it first.

— Courtney Summers

It's okay, we can go back from this." It comes out of his mouth so kind - he means it - and it just makes me feel worse. That he can kiss me like this and change everything, but still promise me nothing has to change because I can't promise him anything.

— Courtney Summers