This Adventure Ends Quotes

“The thing about fic is that is comes from love. Characters you love so much, that you feel so deeply for, you'll watch them fall in love a thousand different ways, over and over.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“We should all find something to be weirdly passionate about, don't you think?”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“Dreams don't have to be realistic- that's why they're dreams. You have to work to make them happen. Or else they would be...realities”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“I think about that kind of love as we increase in altitude. How maybe it doesn’t just stand for romance—maybe it works for friendship, too. Maybe there’s a kind of friend love that opens you up… Maybe you didn’t have a place for it within you before, but once it finds you out, crawls inside, and makes space for itself, you can’t live without it ever again.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“I like you,' I say. 'I lustful-sun like you, I meteorite like you, you are the fucking pink Starburst to me.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“Alone didn’t always mean lonely, but sometimes it did, and even then, she reveled in it. Lunches in the music room. Afternoons reading in the park. Loneliness was a kind of wanting, but it was also this incredible freedom. Not having to rely on anyone or have anyone rely on her. No one to disappoint or be disappointed by. Alone was good and comforting and dependable.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“We should all find something to be weirdly passionate about, don’t you think?”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“I'm sorry. So sorry. Don't mean to interrupt. It's just...are you for fucking serious?”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“Come on," he says. "I'm like the yellow Starburst of this group."
My lips twitch. "You're at least the orange Starburst.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“The city pulses on around us, and I'm not sure which one of us is anchoring the others, but I've never felt less adrift.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“Hot Pockets - what were you really doing in there?"
I turn to Gabe, that orange shirt glowing in the setting sun. "Sorry?"
"Hot Pockets," he says.
"Cinnamon Toast Crunch," I reply. "Are we saying things we like?"
"It's a thing. You have to tell the truth. It trumps penguin party."
"Nothing trumps penguin party.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“What are you going to do for school?"
"Go to FSU with Tash."
"What if there was no Tash? What would you do then?"
"I don't know," she murmurs. "Maybe go wherever Gabe goes. Or come to New York with you."
It fills me with warmth, running liquid through me, but it won't thaw my mind. "Why does it have to be, like, based off someone else? Why can't you just do what you want?"
"What I want is to be around people I care about."
"Oh." I blink at the ceiling once, twice, eyelids getting heavy, eyes getting fuzzy. It makes sense when she says it like that.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“Maybe there are people who love someone so much that when they lose them, they never want to be with anyone else again. But maybe there are people who love someone so much that it makes them want to find that kind of love again. Maybe they loved them so much, they can’t live without that kind of love in their life. And maybe … it’s a kind of love where you don’t have to say it. Where they’re such a part of you and you’re such a part of them that it doesn’t need to be said. Because you already know.”

When I glance up at Gabe again, he has his eyes on me.

“Yeah,” he says. “Maybe.”

“I like that,” Vera says with a small smile. “I think it must be like that.”

I think about that kind of love as we increase in altitude. How maybe it doesn’t just stand for romance—maybe it works for friendship, too. Maybe there’s a kind of friend love that opens you up … Maybe you didn’t have a place for it within you before, but once it finds you out, crawls inside, and makes space for itself, you can’t live without it ever again.

I look over at Vera, and I think about what she said to me the first day we had lunch together: They never really say that they love each other, but it’s so freaking obvious. Like, Sherlock would straight-up kill for Watson.

“Just so you know,” I say, “I would straight-up kill for you.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“Something perfect can end and something broken can endure.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“Dreams don’t have to be realistic—that’s why they’re dreams. You have to work to make them happen. Or else they would just be … realities.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“It just is because it is, it exists because there's no other way than it existing.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“Mandy made pot roast for dinner," Vera says. "It was truly terrible. Do you want some?"
Gabe rolls his eyes. "I'm so glad you're in retail, with pitches like that. You must be the best. 'Here try this product - it's awful.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“I think I get it, I really do. The appeal of the fic. At least for me. It’s the chance to remake something you love so that every little bit of it suits your vision for it. How it should have been in the past or how it should go in the future. How it would happen in an entirely different place, in an entirely different world.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“We should’ve looked before,” Vera says, her voice soft. “We could’ve saved you the trouble.”

“Are you kidding? The trouble was the best part.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“They dated," Frank says, with just a little too much relish. "For two years. They were the shiniest golden couple of our class. What a match, you know? Both gorgeous. She's super smart--does student government, debate, choir, all that business. He does the sports and volunteers with his dad's church, has those puppy eyes that make you want to buy him a boat--"
"Do they?"
"Yes, gaze deeply into his eyes next time--you'll feel it." He takes a long draw from his drink and then continues. "Anyway, they were the kind of couple where it's like, separate--they're great. But together, it's . . . star magic."
"Star magic?"
"From the universe. Celestial bodies aligning and shit. That kind of magic.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“Loneliness what a kind of wanting, but it was also this incredible freedom. Not having to rely on anyone or have anyone rely on her. No one to disappoint or be disappointed by. Alone was good and comforting and dependable.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“We're not a couple."
"Well, you should be," I say, in one of those moments where my mouth and brain seem to disconnect from each other. "You seem good together."
No, but like what in the actual fuck are you doing? part of me says.
LOOK HOW CHILL I AM, the part in control replies.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“Neither of them could just let the other have their grief, their moment, I know it wasn't the intention―they're opening up! Sharing the tragedies that made them who they are! The regrets and fears they can't share with anyone but each other!―but Christ, it seemed like one-upmanship to me. Where is the fic where Mickey says, I lost the only family I had when I was a kid and James just says, I'm so so sorry. And they sit in silence, and maybe they hold hands, or maybe they don't, maybe that's all there is. One of them says what they need to say, and the other one just listens, absorbs, acknowledges it. Lets their sadness have a place to land.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“Hey, Gabe's here," I say.
"I am."
"He is."
I look at Remy. Remy looks back at me. I raise my eyebrows emphatically, but he just scrunches his lower in confusion.
Don't say anything about the painting, my eyes are trying to say.
I have no idea what you mean, his eyes are saying back.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“If you leave someone alone in public for nearly any length of time, they’re almost always on their phone when you come back.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“You know, the thing about fic is that it comes from love. Characters you love so much, that you feel so deeply for, you’ll watch them fall in love a thousand different ways, over and over.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“I glance over at Gabe. Maybe I was wrong about me. About being for no one. I don’t know what the future holds. My dad is right—there are no guarantees. None. But I pick up Gabe’s hand and lace our fingers together, and that’s enough in this moment.

We look out at the water, and that is more than enough for now.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“He smiles at me for a moment, and I can’t help it—I kiss him.

“What was that for?” he murmurs when we break apart.

I shrug. “You smell good to me.” And it’s the truth. I drop down to a whisper: “You smell like a thousand babies planking for a thousand years.”

“They wouldn’t be babies anymore after a thousand years,” he whispers back.

“They’re Forever Babies. They’ve been genetically engineered.”

“Why would someone want a baby forever? What’s more, why do the babies want such tight abs?”

I grin and kiss him again.

When we both look back out at the beach, Vera has abandoned Frank, who is now down at the water’s edge with Bree and Aubrey. Vera looks up at us. When she catches our gaze, she smiles, bright in the setting sun. She presses a kiss to her hand and then holds it to her heart.

I glance at Gabe, who does it back.

“Not you!” Vera yells. “Sloane!”

I laugh and do the same, and it reminds me of the elementary-school ritual from back in the day. A promise. An oath. And maybe it’s a little bit like mine and Ella’s—See you tomorrow—but maybe it’s deeper than that. Maybe it’s also I love you.

Then Gabe flips her the bird, and Vera makes a face at us both.Then Gabe flips her the bird, and Vera makes a face at us both.

She turns and skips to the waterline, coming up behind Frank and wrapping her arms around his waist. He does a little shimmy and she holds on, laughing. That’s Frank Sanger. For all people.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“Am I Penny?” I say. “From Sand on Our Beach? And Austin, and Sheila.… Am I them? Are they me?”

He pauses, and then: “They’re them. And you’re you. But I wouldn’t have them if I didn’t have you.” A beat. “You know, the thing about fic is that it comes from love. Characters you love so much, that you feel so deeply for, you’ll watch them fall in love a thousand different ways, over and over.

“I’ve never loved any of my characters that much,” he says. “But I love you that much. So maybe … so that’s where I went. That’s what I went with.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends

“You said no, though,” he says, slightly muffled. “When I asked you out. That one time.”

“Wait, what?”

“That time at work? I asked you to the movies, and you said you would invite Vera?”

I pull back a bit. “That wasn’t—you weren’t asking me out. You said I could come, too, if I wanted. That’s not asking someone out.”

“It was to me,” he says, sheepish, and I want to poke him, but I also kind of want to hug him forever.

“Next time you want to ask someone out, maybe be less subtle. Maybe try to use the word date or together. Maybe phrase it as an actual question, you know, get some upward inflection going at the end of the sentence?”

He just looks at me, a little bit like he wants to poke me, but maybe also hug me forever. Instead he just kisses me, and it’s a long time before we break apart again.”
― Emma Mills, This Adventure Ends