How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
I told my mother I had more shifts at Subway than I really did so I could be at the river when I wasn't at work, waiting for Amiel to draw letters on the trembling skin of my palm. More often, though, he wrote what he had to say on the dirt or answered me, if the weather wasn't too hot and dry, in his raspy voice. (38.1)
Amiel shares his thoughts with Pearl by writing in the sand, which makes for very slow communication. (And you thought texting lagged.) At first, Amiel is reluctant to share stuff with Pearl, specifically because of the length it takes to write out each word, but Pearl doesn't mind. She'd rather spend more time with him anyhow.
Quote #8
Amiel drew my arm back toward us and with his index finger began to trace letters on my forearm, his fingers as cold as rain. I felt the letters he was making on my skin, felt them all the way to the backs of my knees, but I was powerless to read them. The lines might have been hieroglyphics or flying birds. My arm trembled with each stroke until he reached the end of what he was writing. (39.26)
As Amiel and Pearl get to know each other, they whisper and draw out words to communicate. It's romantic in a touchy-feely way. Check out the way she describes him writing on her hand as making her "tremble." She loves getting to know him, sure, but we think she loves him touching her hands even more.
Quote #9
I looked at the postcard several times before it occurred to me that in addition to pretending I didn't exist, he must have decided never to say or write my name. (58.29)
Robby communicates without speaking directly to Pearl, but it's not romantic and meaningful like it is between her and Amiel. In fact, it's out of anger and spite that Robby steers clear of her. Since he blames Pearl for his dad's death, he doesn't want to keep talking to her, but gets his point across to her all the same.