What Happens Next Quotes

“You're beautiful, Sid,' he says, pushing my hair out of my face. 'And I never said it at first because it seemed so obvious to me, so easy. I didn't say it because I never wanted you to think the things I say to you are just things. Empty compliments to get in your pants. I wanted the things I say to you to be extraordinary, because that's what you are to me. Extraordinary. And I'm so sorry I didn't say it sooner, because I think you need to hear it. You were beautiful a year ago and you're beautiful now.”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“Then I look over at Corey, who is watching me with a tenderness that makes me want to crawl inside his heart, pitch a tent, and set up camp forever.”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“He cups the back of my neck with his hand and holds the other against my face, rubbing my cheek with his thumb. Slowly, he leans down and kisses me.
Soft, then deep.
I ooze against the house. I can feel his kiss in my whole body, like warm liquid pouring through me—gold, rich, and melting. After about a minute of what can only be described as sheer ecstasy, Corey rests his forehead against mine so we can both catch our breath. Then he takes my head into his hands and looks at me hard, like his heart is breaking.
'I have wanted to do that for so, so long.'
I cannot speak. I can only nod yes and hope he knows what I mean. He kisses me more...
"... for months and months..."
"... when you sprayed me with Dr. Pepper..."
"... at the bakery when you were holding that corned beef..."
"... and every single time I see you..."
I lean against the house and hold on to his wrists so I don't dissolve into a puddle. And I kiss him back. Over and over, I kiss him back.”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“Do you love me?' I say quietly, still staring at the water.
He pauses. I turn to look at him. His eyes are soft and big and the corners of his mouth turn upward into a shy grin.
'Yeah. Yeah, I do. I was going to tell you. It's just, I've never said it to anyone, so I was... I kept...'
'I love you, too' I say.”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“After a second, he reaches over and rubs my head playfully, and then pulls me into him. 'Come here,' he says gently. I unbuckle and scoot in close to him. I don't care if this truck full of dials has no airbags and I get killed in a wreck. I'll die happy. He drives slow and careful and we kiss at every stop sign and red light the whole way back to my house.”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“Katherine is the master of anger; she dominates anger. She takes anger in her hands and twists its neck, ripping its head off. She throws anger against the wall and stomps it to death. Her voice rises, it changes, it conjures up ghosts and cusses in a spitting Irish brogue. Then, when she's tapped out empty, she picked anger up between her a thumb and a forefinger and carries it outside and drops it in the trash. On her way back, she scoops up forgiveness like a bouquet, sniffs it deep and arranges it in a vase. She sets forgiveness down, shining in the middle of everything.”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“I watch his lips moving and he doesn't seem to notice that I'm about to reach up, unzip myself from the skull down, jump out of my skin, and yell, Surprise! There's a crazy person in here!”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“I've always, always thought you were beautiful, Sid. Always.”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“On her way back, she scoops up forgiveness like a bouquet, sniffs it deep and arranges it in a vase. She sets forgiveness down, shining in the middle of everything.”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“I choose to believe that I will be okay.”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“I’m just going to get into that car and say it. Just tell her what happened and go from there. She’ll drive me to the police station or to the hospital, or to the cliffs at Nelson Ledges, to whatever it is that mothers and daughters go when something too horrible for words happens.”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“I clean myself up and walk out, trying my best to mask the shaking of my limbs by folding my arms across my chest. A voice inside me screams: Open your mouth! Tell this PTA mom what happened! You need to go to a hospital! But overtopping the voice is the awful banging in my head. A sick regret washes over me in rising waves until I’m drowning in thoughts of “What have you done?”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“I’m in someone’s bedroom, in someone’s bed and I don’t know how I got here.”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“Oh, Starsha Lexington hates me and not just because I bumped Cameron Fitzpatick from the cheerleading squad. Starsha’s hatred of me dates back to the first week of kindergarten when I was playing Food Channel Hostess in the play kitchen. I must have looked like I was having too good of a time because she tried to take over my cooking show and when I wouldn’t let her, she grabbed me by the hair. I grabbed her back and we went careening into the toy refridgerator, all the plastic vegetables and dishes spilling everywhere. We both started crying, were sent to opposing time-out corners and glowered at each other from across the room. Not much has changed.”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“I’ve been called a lot of things in my life: fat, obnoxious, snarky, but never a quitter.”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“Starsha Lexington, Amber Franks and the rest of the squad are huddled together like a package of pink marshmallows. They see me pointing at them, scowl and then turn into themselves to whisper. They’re probably sending up prayers to the Barbie gods in hopes that I break my leg so Cameron Fitzpatrick can finally be restored to her rightful place on the squad, the place that I callously snatched out from under her last year when I had the unmitigated gall to try out for cheerleading.”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“Kirsten and Paige push me to the bunny hill and work patiently alongside me for two hours, instructing me on various novice techniques that go by precious names like “making pizza slices” and “cooking French fries.”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“Some people find her tireless perk and nerdish tendencies a turnoff. Not me. I dig nerdy little Paige.”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next

“It’s four in the morning and I’m sitting on my porch steps waiting for my friends. The streetlight casts a pale glow over my yard and I’m so exhausted that the snow is starting to shape-shift into an enormous feather bed and soft cotton sheets.”
― Colleen Clayton, What Happens Next