The Exchange Student Quotes

“Is this how easy it will be with my own daughter now that the truth has unlocked in my head? Is it really as simple as showing an interest in her… well, interests?”
― A.J. Carter, The Exchange Student

“I read plenty of books, and they all tell me that people have struggles going on that nobody will know about from the outside looking in.”
― A.J. Carter, The Exchange Student

“They want me to be something special. They demand that I become sociable and happy and fun-loving. But that’s just not me. What about all those times they encourage me to be myself? Is that out of the window now that the person I am doesn’t match the person they had in their heads?”
― A.J. Carter, The Exchange Student

“If we’re going to cut to the chase, we both know she has some social problems. I’m not saying she deserves to get treated how she does, but she’s not exactly…’ ‘Easy to talk to?’ ‘Yeah.’ I nod along because he’s right. Summer’s main issue is that she’s never wanted to make any friends. I don’t know if that’s what’s causing her reclusiveness or if it’s the other way around. But something has to change because, before we know it, she’ll be shaped into that person her entire life. It’s not helpful for anyone. She needs those basic skills. She needs interaction and a more open view on life. Especially if she wants to be a writer. How can she tell stories about people if she doesn’t understand them? Damian promises we’ll talk about it in more detail later, but right now, he has to go to work. He puts his plate in the dishwasher, kisses me on the head, then leaves to go and run a supermarket for the afternoon. Meanwhile, I’m stuck at the kitchen table with a crisis. I don’t want to fail as a parent.”
― A.J. Carter, The Exchange Student

“I counter that maybe I could take more hours at the local shop, but he says it’s not right – that it’s a man’s job to provide. He can be pretty stubborn like that, but I always loved him for his old-fashioned values. I just wish they weren’t exhausting him like this.”
― A.J. Carter, The Exchange Student

“I’ve known bullies my whole life. Endured them through my entire childhood and a portion of my adolescence. Over the years, I taught myself to keep my head held high and strut with confidence. Bullies hate that. They don’t like knowing they haven’t pummelled your self-esteem into the ground, and then they start to lash out. They become more aggressive, taking to more physical extremes such as hitting or pushing. It’s a shock to the system at first, but somewhere along the way, I became more resilient and got used to the outbursts.”
― A.J. Carter, The Exchange Student