How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
I have a secret life. All these idiots are caught up in their stupid sports or their college choices. They're caught up in trivial fashion or who's getting laid or who's snorting coke or who likes what music or who's going to prom with who. And I have a full-time job, a twenty-three-year-old boyfriend, and a secret binge drinking problem. (2.12.6)
In a twisted way, Vera is proud of the ways in which she's messing up her life by dating an older dude and drinking alcohol to make herself feel better. She feels like having all these problems makes her more mature and superior to her peers.
Quote #8
We both would turn fifteen that fall. He was starting to grow fluff on his chest. I was starting to feel attracted to him more than I ever had before, and I felt totally lame about it. (2.13.33)
Growing up can be so confusing. As Vera hits adolescence, she starts to feel some non-platonic things for her best friend, Charlie—and we're pretty sure he's feeling them right back. Hormones can be so crazy.
Quote #9
Both of us were working a lot, and Charlie dated a few more girls. He didn't tell me, but I heard. I'd met Mitch, a private-school kid who worked the breakfast shift at Arby's with me on the weekends and who asked me out to the movies twice. (3.7.62-63)
As they enter their teenage years, Vera and Charlie both experiment with being more "grown-up" by dating other people, even though it's obvious that they'd much rather be dating each other.