All That You Are (All That You Are, #1)

by Elicia Roper

I am cradling books upon books in my arms, along with a shopping cart that I filled to the brim with even more books. Okay, so I might have a teensy-weensy problem. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m a book hoarder...but I do love books.

ATHENA IS ABSOLUTELY stunning. When she smiles, there is this glow about her.

caiden fell first and HARDER😍

Okay, so I might have a teensy-weensy problem. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m a book hoarder... but I do love books.

reading is my 1st love 😍

He opens his arms as if to hug me. Panicking, I raise my arms but give him two high fives instead. The corner of his mouth turns up in something close to a smirk or a half-smile. Like he’s fighting the urge to laugh. “Well, now that I’ve made it awkward, I think it’s about time for me to leave,” I say, starting to walk away. Idiot. I curse to myself as soon as I am out of his sight.

This scene was so much fun to write 🤣 I wanted to showcase some of my own awkward social tendencies.

I reluctantly check my rear-view mirror to see him still standing there. I instantly regret looking back when I see that he’s looking back at me with a lopsided grin on his face.

“You shut everyone out, Athena. You don’t tell anyone how you actually feel. So, you don’t have the right to stand here and act all high and mighty. At the very least, you should be honest with yourself.”

I love seeing the popular highlights! Words of wisdom from my Dad

“My friends and I were playing basketball in our backyard. I ran back in to get water, and I guess I was so excited to get back to the game that I ran through the screen door, not realizing it wasn’t open. So, I went flying, and the screen popped off and went sailing with me.” Athena hangs her head in shame. “What-”

Okay this is a true story! This happened to me and one of my friends NEVER lets me live it down! He always finds a way to bring it back up!

“I just can’t wrap my head around the fact that someone would be stupid enough to do that.” “Do what?”

“Let you go,

Athena grins, bright and happy, and all I can think is there is nothing I would not do to k...

“Dear Athena, you have been my best friend. No one ever treated me this way like how you treat me and don’t care about my age. People other than you care about my age. If they see I am younger, they won’t include me. But you included me in everything, so I want to give you a token of my appreciation.” - From Isabella

Isabella is inspired by the sweetest 11-year-old little girl you will ever meet. What an honor it is to be called her best friend. She gave me a gift with this note inside and it brought me to tears! So I included this note as Isabella's gift to Athena.

“It’s giving off the impression that we...” I gesture between us. “That we’re dating?” “Exactly.” I’m glad that he’s getting the point, so there is no need for me to have to explain myself. “Which we’re not,” Caiden says. “That’s correct.”

“So then”—he steps closer—“why don’t we?”

Caiden studies me, making me even more embarrassed and uncomfortable in the process. “You’re cute when you’re embarrassed,” he says with a cheeky smile. A swarm of butterflies took flight in my stomach.

I’m here, and as long as you need me to be, I’ll always be here.”

It's so important to have someone that will always have your back, I am so so grateful to have people like that in my life and I hope that you do too and that you tell them how much you love them.

I shuffle around the food on my plate, a permanent scowl on my face. I don’t even care that I’m pouting like a two-year-old who is mad that Mom says no sweets.

Jealousy brings out the childish side in him and jealous Caiden is simply adorable.

“I don’t know. Up until now, it still doesn’t make sense. Yet here we are, letting this bother us. How unfair is it that we are sitting here in anger while he gets to just... disappear?” Snatching the bag of chips from him, I grab a handful.

Alex pushes me out of my seat. “Yes, go ahead.” He grins. “You can have her; you have my blessing.” I glare at him. If looks could kill, Alex would be dead.

Alex is inspired by my younger brother (or as he likes to say he is my older brother and i am his "little sister") We became really close recently around the time that I started writing All That You Are so he is a huge part of the book. You will see my relationship with him through Athena & Alex's characters. He is the best brother ever! He is the sweetest! He was so fun to write about and he loves that I wrote about him and brags about it to his friends! I really love our relationship :)

Athena serves me a plate of what is now burnt Pesto-Stuffed Chicken. It still looks... edible. It just has a certain barbequed feel to it.

You can’t be great at everything; you have to leave something

We all have our strengths and weaknesses. It's what makes you, you!

for the rest of us.” I beam, hoping to make her feel better.

“It’s fine. I was just dozing off. Is everything okay?” Athena asks, concern in her voice.

“Nothing.” My voice was tired, low. “I just wanted to hear your voice.”

awwwwwww🤧😭 This scene gets me in the feels everytime! I love that Athena is Caiden's comfort person.

I wouldn’t call myself a crier. I cried a lot more when I was younger, but as I got older, I came to see that crying doesn’t solve anything. If anything, it only adds to the pain, giving you a major headache. So, I don’t cry. I refuse to cry.

This scene was inspired by one of my favorite Korean Drama's "It's Okay Not To Be Okay" if you haven't watched it I recommend it! 10/10! Do you like Korean Dramas?

“To what do I owe this pleasure, sister dear?” Sky asks, spinning around in her chair. “I have a question.” “Do tell.” Sky folds her hands across her chest. “What do you do when you like a boy?” “I tell him,” Sky replies simply.

It’s not always that simple, though. “And if he doesn’t like you back?” “I’ll have to kill him,” she replies, sipping her tea. The mind of a child is truly a wonderful thing.

Sky is inspired by my little sister Alyssa. She is the same one that encouraged me and gave me really good constructive feedback while I was writing All That You Are. If it wasn't for her, I honestly would not have finished it! Even when I was debating publishing it, because putting my work out there (my heart and soul) for people to see and critique terrifies me (it still does even now) she pushed me in the right direction and made me want to publish All That You Are. I am so grateful for her!! She is also pretty snarky and funny as you will see with Sky's character. It was funny how everytime I wrote something that Sky said my little sister Alyssa would say: "Hey, that's my line!! There's my line again! Wow I'm like the second main character."

I’m grateful to drown in something other than my thoughts.

But I’m too broken, too far gone to be fixed.

Looking up at the night sky filled with stars, I think how incredible it is that every day we can enjoy the infinite beauty of the charcoal sky glittered with stars that light up the night.

“No one’s life is exactly as we pictured it to be... I feel like we hold ourselves to such unrealistically high standards, only to punish ourselves for not being able to reach them. Of course, we can’t reach them since they were unattainable in the first place.”

“I wish you could see yourself the way that I see you. You are inspiring.”

I'm so happy that one of my favorite quotes are yours too❤

that’s not because you are sensitive; you have a big heart, so when you love someone, you give them all of you, and it hurts if they don’t do the same.”

you have a big heart, so when you love someone, you give them all of you, and it hurts if they don’t do the same.”

Violet is inspired by my best friend of 7 years. She is my ride or die. My favorite person in the whole world! This quote from the book that is a direct quote from something she told me years ago, that I memorized and hold so very close to my heart. When I am feeling down I recite it outloud and it brings me so much comfort. "Can I tell you what I think?” She nods. “You have a strong sense of loyalty to your friends and family a and that’s why you’re very hurt when you’re let down. You give out love and rightfully expect back the same love in return. But that’s not because you are sensitive, it’s because you have a big heart so when you love someone, you give them all of you and it hurts if they don’t do the same.” My best friend has always been there for me through the thick and thin and I am so grateful to have found a gem like her. So happy to have her in my life!

I think a lot of unnecessary pressure is put on men to be strong—to be a man. Men don’t cry. Men don’t break down, or they will be seen as weak. But that’s such an unfair expectation to have in the first place because, like women, men have feelings, too, and they shouldn’t have to feel ashamed of it.

men have feelings too #mentalhealthformen

Although I already know how they will end, I watch them anyway. Because happily ever after’s are just made-up fairy tales, they don’t exist. Real life is tragic and miserable—we don’t always get what we want in the end.

I don’t want perfect.

All I want is you. All that you are. Exactly as you are.

This scene was inspired by my love for Kingtsugi Japanese Pottery. I love the metaphor and I admire what it represents. It is so beautiful to love someone for all that they are, imperfections and all.

“I missed you so much that I couldn’t think of anything else but you. Don’t you... miss me too?”

“All I ever do is miss you.”

“I really, really, really missed you,” he says in between showering me with kisses all over my face.