How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
I felt sick for more or less the whole day. I suppose it must have been homesickness, but how would I know, seeing as I'd never really been away from home for very long? (15.2)
Ick. Sam's not feeling too hot when he moves in with Alicia. Perhaps this is a sign that it's not meant to be. It's also a sign that his home is really important to him, and trading places means more than just moving a few boxes of stuff across town.
Quote #8
Mum didn't say anything, but I could see she was thinking about it. That was all she was thinking about, though. She obviously wasn't thinking about whether Alicia was dropping a subtle hint about who should go and who should stay. "I said, YOU LIVE HERE." (15.24)
When he moves in with Alicia, Sam's mom gets upset to see him leave home. It's a big moment for her. Why? Home is where the heart is, yo. Sam's mom knows that her son moving in with Alicia is a clear sign that he's with her now. Or to put it differently, that's where his heart is now.
Quote #9
Mum asked me a question. Like, "How are you getting on with Alicia?" Or, "It's not too difficult, is it, living in someone else's house?" Or, "Have you thought about what to do when this course finishes?"
And I just said, you know, "It's OK," or "It's not so bad," or "I dunno." (16.156-157)
Check out how his mom phrases that—"living in someone else's house." Sam and his mom clearly don't think of Alicia's pad as Sam's home. He never settles in, either, so it's no wonder he eventually moves back in with his mom.