The MASH Up Quotes

“A tie-dye Jeep.
A roller-rink restaurant.
This mansion.
Something tells me if I look around, I’ll find two pools and thirteen pet fish.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“No. Way,” I gush, astonished by the holy grail of dream kitchens, Nancy Meyers-style. I count not one, not two, but three islands all painted olive green. “This is, like, a kitchen archipelago.”
Penn drops his bags and side-eyes me. “A kitchen what?”
I scowl at him. “Of course you didn’t pay attention in geography.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“I didn’t want you to be my warm-up,” he says. “You were always supposed to be my closer.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“You told me it wasn’t the right time”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“Not everyone gets to be the fun friend,” I tell him. “Somebody needs to close out the tabs”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“As I stare into the flame”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“Penn drops onto the stool opposite me and holds up the MASH game”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“Ruby lives in a mansion here in Lakeville with not one but two pools”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“No matter how uncertain and unpredictable life gets, some people really do walk next to you forever. —Dolly Alderton, Everything I Know About Love”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“Half my body is covered in chunky body glitter, the cheap kind that might as well be glue, and considering it’s damn near permanent, I’m telling myself it’s fine until Halloween. Penn and I have a running list of costume ideas in our shared Notes app, and there’s a strong chance we’ll end up as unicorns, because he likes the idea of a fleece onesie and I sometimes miss living inside a Lisa Frank wonderland.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“Ruby.”
I feel a pang in my chest when my name vibrates in his throat.
He swallows. “I’ve never seen you in red.”
I can’t hide my smile, and I can’t pretend looking this good was an accident. I spent an hour on my hair and weeks scouring for the perfect dress: a red long-sleeve number that wraps over my chest with a deep V, cinches my waist, and hugs all the way to my knees. For a long time, I avoided wearing red, believing it a bit too on the nose, considering my name. But it suits me— I’m pretty sure Cheryl from the makeup counter at the mall would approve.
And it feels good to stand out.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“Every magical, Technicolor memory flickers and flares, along with the girlish hope that led me to the wildest dream of my life. And when I cast one last look at Penn, still standing where I left him, I’m more optimistic than ever that the best parts of it might actually come true.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“You know those fish will die in, like, a day.”
“Hopefully not all at once.”
“Damn,” he says. “Bleak.”
“Maybe I should’ve gotten thirteen, just to be sure,” I consider aloud. “Like in that old MASH game that Bridget pulled out on my birthday.”
It feels bold, almost illicit, to bring it up. Like I might crack the universe in two.
“Will you tie-dye your Nissan, too?” Penn asks. “Whip out those old roller skates?”
I adore him.
“Definitely. I’ll need a charm full of colorful beads hanging from my rearview mirror, too,” I joke. “And, of course, two pools.”
Penn nods. “Of course.” He waits a bit, then adds, “You’d need me, too.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“In MASHland, I pursued Penn to win and escape. Now I’m playing a different kind of game— the long game. And as I tell myself many, many times a day, being Penn’s friend while managing the lovesick gremlin inside my heart is better than sharing nothing at all.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“No matter what happens with my career, or with Penn, I want to find the version of myself that feels true. And be more than beige. Because now that I’ve lived in color— as in, all the colors, everywhere, all at once— I can’t go back.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“Come Sunday, my pools are not filled with hot-pink sand. But thanks to Bridget, they do contain six beach balls, three floating solar lights, and enough inflatables to keep my many personalities afloat.
It’s a wonder Penn didn’t pass out after blowing up two pastel unicorns, a rainbow-covered swan, and a giant slice of pepperoni pizza.
Bridget didn’t want to go “overboard,” and yet the contents of least two Party City locations have taken over the mansion. Her mom, who threw spontaneous themed sleepovers several times a year, would be proud. Pink, orange, and yellow balloons surround the main pool, and colorful streamers zigzag across the backyard. There are paper-flower garlands. Beaded curtains on every door. A pink sign that says PARTY, in case guests need an explicit directive or forget why they’re here. A table turned tiki bar boasts eight decorative pineapples, two carved-out coconuts full of swirly straws, and four drink dispensers filled with mysterious tropical cocktails that Bridget explains as “one part rum, three parts regret.”
The party’s on.
So is my neon striped bikini and a pair of pink heart-shaped sunglasses. I considered a modest violet one-piece, but looking like a hot pack of Skittles has started to grow on me, and so has everything about this party. Bridget’s superpower is infectious enthusiasm. And it feels good to give in to it.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“I didn't know what to make, and I didn't want to wake you." He slides the tray onto the mattress beside me and sits on the bed. "So I just kept cooking."
Eggs, bacon, toast. Sliced avocado. A pile of banana pancakes. A bowl of berries. A ramekin full of butter. Another full of syrup. "This is an entire breakfast menu," I marvel. "The Cheesecake Factory of breakfasts."
"Ah, that's what I forgot." Penn clicks his tongue in feigned disappointment. "Dessert."
"Did you, though?" I slant him a look, and his eyes flash.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“You’re rewriting history,” I tell him. “We hated each other.”
“Fine line,” he says.
“Between love and hate?”
Penn’s eyes spark. “Who said anything about love?”
He smiles and my stomach flips, and I may as well be the thirteen-year-old girl who wrote out this future, because when Penn’s lips crash into mine, my whole body comes alive, like I’m being kissed for the first time. He tastes like spearmint and smells like citrus, and he lets out the softest, sexiest sound as my hands slide into his hair. I feel it, then: the heat of electricity. What must be the magic working its tricks.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“It’s been years since I last took a bath, so I gravely misjudge the required amount of soap and end up chin-deep in bubbles that spill over the tub’s edge if I move so much as an inch.
Turns out, I’m terrible at relaxing. But I’m trying; I have to.
I’ve been trapped inside this cursed game for five days, and it’s getting to me. It’s warping my perception, and I’ve already grown far too comfortable in this nostalgic wonderland. Here I am, unironically enjoying a plumeria-scented bubble bath, and I’ve consumed so many Capri-Suns, my blood might actually be part fruit punch at this point.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“My attention unwittingly falls to his lips before I rip my gaze away and groan. “Penn.”
“Yes, Wynne?”
I turn back. “You’ve messed with the vibe.”
“What vibe?”
“Penn, I’m going to kill you.”
He sucks air between his teeth. “That would not be good for business.”
“Don’t play dumb.”
“I don’t have to play at being dumb.”
“Alright, that’s a solid and accurate self-own,” I admit. “But I’m serious. With you and me.” I gesture between us, my knuckles knocking against his broad chest. “You’re responsible for the vibe.”
His voice is a low rumble. “Meaning…”
I scoff, tired of Penn’s trailing half-sentences. “Meaning I’m not the one who played your arm like a sexy clarinet today, okay? So I’m not exactly sure how to proceed.”
He bites his bottom lip, barely containing his smile.
My cheeks are blazing. “Yes, I said ‘sexy clarinet,’ and I stand by it. That’s the best metaphor I can come up with on short notice.”
“Mm-hmm.” He nods, looking far too triumphant for my liking.
I grit my teeth, frustrated. Penn’s thrown me off today with his many surprises, and I know he’s thrilled to see me losing my cool.
“Well,” he says, eyeing me up and down. “You seem like you could use a break. So how about you head home, and I’ll help Theo. Later, we can address the vibes and… proceed.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“A snot-covered kid tugs at her skirt, and I watch in horror as he wipes his nose with it. “That’s my cue,” I say, moonwalking away from the human typhoid.
“Just think on the bright side,” Bridget stage-whispers. “At least you picked zero kids.”
I shudder.
I need to count my MASH blessings.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“The Disco Diner stretches as wide as half a football field, bright and shiny, with bubblegum-pink walls and an arched metallic ceiling covered in rows of color-changing lightbulbs. In the center of the room, above the oval skating rink, six disco balls hang in a straight line. The snack bar’s purple sign gleams in the far corner, and glowing white tables with light-up edges dot the checkerboard floor. To my right, skates are stacked along floor-to-ceiling shelves behind a glossy pink desk, and a neon wall sign reads: LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL.
It’s all very low-key.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“This place must be what thirteen-year-old me pictured as a fancy mansion, because while it's large luxurious, the design details are still very much the rendering of a seventh-grader. I tour an office lined with tangerine bookshelves and the striped, upholstered window seat of my teen dreams. There's a yellow sunroom with wicker furniture and pink plaid pillows, while the airy living room boasts nothing but a big denim sectional, as if my imagination got tired. Outside, sure enough, there are two pools, one large and with a slide, the other a slim, glittering lap pool.
Upstairs, I pass the unfinished bedroom, the pink-and-purple bathroom, and my bedroom, walking toward the rainbow-colored wooden stairs at the far end of the hallway. They creak as I climb up to a small, round turret room.
It's magnificent.
The black ceiling is dotted with tiny twinkling lights that look like stars. One wall holds an aquarium filled with— I barely need to count— thirteen fish, and floor pillows as vibrant as Starbursts surround a gigantic purple beanbag that's calling my name.
I slouch into it, yawning. Whatever spikes of energy I felt from all the sugar and excitement have officially crashed. Or maybe my dream body is spent after keeping up with such a remarkably realistic fantasy.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“I go to sleep feeling happy in the bone-deep way that comes from doing nothing with the people who are everything. I’ve been so focused on who I want to be”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“I go to sleep feeling happy in the bone-deep way that comes from doing nothing with the people who are everything.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“I haven't thought about MASH in years. We used to love playing the fortune-telling game. Sitting crossed-legged on out sleeping bags, we'd imagine who we might become someday, painstakingly trying to rig the game to make it match our ideal futures, as if an of the options we listed might actually come true.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“Aren’t you supposed to work today?” Penn asks. “What time are you going in?”
“No clue,” I chirp as I meander into a walk-in pantry. The shelves are packed with clear bins full of snacks: Fruit Roll-Ups, Goldfish, popcorn, trail mix. “Ohmygod,” I whisper. “Frosted animal crackers.”
Elated, I carry the bin to the kitchen island number two and dig into my favorite childhood treat, relishing the salty-sweet crunch I haven’t tasted in years.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“I push past him and race down the colorful porch steps, whirling around to get a better look at the place where I just woke up. A place I could draw from memory.
It’s the old Victorian that sat framed inside my bedroom window as a kid— the view I woke up to for years. But the building is no longer painted a pale, fading yellow with white trim. It looks almost psychedelic. Like one of my old Lisa Frank notebooks in mansion form.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up

“Floor-to-ceiling fuchsia curtains frame a pair of tall windows, through which I can see nothing but sky. There’s a yellow dresser littered with candles and trinkets, and the hardwood floors are covered with a pink Moroccan rug. Vibrant green houseplants hang at varying heights in the corner behind me, and— God, what are the odds? Framed over the wooden headboard is the same painting of peonies that I had as a kid.”
― Laura Marie Meyers, The MASH Up