Lance

“Her mother's voice rang in her ears: 'Don't capture their hearts. Steal their imagination. It's far more useful.”
― Roshani Chokshi, The Gilded Wolves

“When you are who they expect you to be, they never look too closely. If you're furious, let it be fuel.”
― Roshani Chokshi, The Gilded Wolves

“She feels like spine of a book about to crack and spill out all the love story guts.”
― Casey McQuiston, I Kissed Shara Wheeler

“You don’t care what anyone thinks. You know?”
My ears burned. “I care what everyone thinks, Sohrab.”
“No you don’t. Not really. You don’t try to change yourself. You know who you are.” He bumped shoulders with me. “I wish I was like that. I always try to be what my mom needs. What my amou needs. What you need. But you are the opposite. You are happy with who you are.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think that’s really me. You’ve never seen what it’s like back home. How everyone treats me.”
“They don’t know you, Darioush.” Sohrab grabbed my shoulder. “I wish you could see yourself the way I see you.”
“I wish you could see yourself too.” I swallowed. “You’re the only person who never wanted me to change.”
― Adib Khorram, Darius the Great Is Not Okay