Claire LaZebnik quotes:

Everyone at Coral Tree Prep was good-looking. Really. Everyone. I didn't see a single fat or ugly kid all morning. Maybe they just locked them up at registration and didn't let them out again until graduation.

Sometimes people say that kids with autism aren't capable of love. That's ridiculous. My son loves deeply. He's just doesn't communicate well.

..."And then we played Ping-Pongâ??â? â??Not pool? I always assumed he was a billiards manâ??I mean, itâ??s so handy the way he keeps a stick up hisâ??

No one's family is normal. Normalcy is a lie invented by advertising agencies to make the rest of us feel inferior.

Don't think that there's a different, better child 'hiding' behind the autism. This is your child. Love the child in front of you. Encourage his strengths, celebrate his quirks, and improve his weaknesses, the way you would with any child.

I got lost in him, and it was the kind of lost that's exactly like being found.

But I know how this romantic stuff works: one girl's perfect guy is another girl's reject. And right now I'm glad of it.

He was wearing a plain white oxford unbuttoned over a T-shirt, but something about the way they fit made him look put together, like an Abercrombie model (well, like an Abercrombie model who had remembered to put on a shirt that morning).

Isabella: "Why are you being so mean to me?" Harry: "Because i love you" Isabella: "Does that ever work?" Harry: "On my mother it does." Isabella: "I'm not your mother." Harry: "I know that already, because I'm enjoying your company.

Basically, the world is a giant shithole. But some of us are capable of imagining something better.

I cursed myself not only for forgetting to turn my phone off but for ever thinking that having a rock music ringtone was cool.

And Derek was... what? A pair of dark eyes that hid more than they revealed and some broad shoulders and a mouth that could be cold and thin and then suddenly widen into a generous grin just when you thought such a thing was impossible.

Alex touches her armYou look nice.""Nice?" she repeatsTry harder, Alex."He flushes adorablyReally nice," he says."Next time, try this," Harry says. He reaches for my handFranny, I didn't know what beauty was until I saw you walking toward us a minute ago."I like this better," I say, pulling awayAt least he sounded like he meant it.""I meant it," Harry says, almost irritably."

Okay. I've got one. Do you think Pluto should still be considered an actual planet in its own right?""Much better. And yes, I do. I had to memorize the planets when I was in third grade, and it was one of them, and I don't like having to relearn things.

Every guy seems nice until heâ??s not.

I was isolated but not ostracized, ignored but not abused.

Alex touches her arm. "You look nice." "Nice?" she repeats. "Try harder, Alex." He flushes adorably. "Really nice," he says. "Next time, try this," Harry says. He reaches for my hand. "Franny, I didn't know what beauty was until I saw you walking toward us a minute ago. "I like this better," I say, pulling away. "At least he sounded like he meant it." "I meant it," Harry says, almost irritably.

For a long time our son ws a little boy with autism, which was a certain kind of challenge. Now that he's a teenager with autism - and a teenager who notices girls - we're faced with something else altogether.

Juliana's a year older than me, but she sometimes seems younger - mostly because she's the opposite of cynical and I'm the opposite of the opposite of cynical.

Man, I hated not being able to figure someone out. And from the slightly uncertain look he gave me as we all went to class, I suspected he felt the same way.

He only invited me because of you and Chase.' 'Right,' she said, following me inside. 'He's never shown the slightest interest in you before. I mean, he's never stared at you like you're the only person in the room when we're all together. Or sulked around for days because you turned him down for a dance. Or touched the sleeve of your sweater when he thinks no one's looking-' 'He's never done any of that,' I said. Then, less confidently, 'Has he?