How we cite our quotes: Chapter, Paragraph
Quote #7
Emma tilts her head and smirks at me. "Tell me truthfully, did you change your underwear because I made fun of you?"
"No," I say. But the answer is yes. Emma walking in on me was embarrassing enough. But there's no telling when a girl I actually have a chance with might get a glimpse of me in my underwear. I don't want her first thought to be Haven't you heard of boxers? (31.18-19)
Emma hit a nerve because she made Josh feel uncool for wearing the wrong underwear. This puts pressure for him to fit a certain image, be a certain type of guy—you know, he type of guy who wears boxers instead of tighty-whities.
Quote #8
He's wearing a dark blue T-shirt with DUKE written across the chest. Everyone in track knows he was accepted there with a full athletic scholarship. As usual, he looks relaxed with his spikey blond hair, pale blue eyes, and a faint shadow on his jawline. (34.2)
Cody is at the top of his game, which both intimidates Emma while also making him perfect crush material. When Emma describes Cody, notice how she includes the phrase "everyone in track knows." The thing that makes him cool, in other words, is that everyone else agrees to see him as such.
Quote #9
I recognize that house from the night I saw Josh's Facebook page. Someday, he'll live there with Sydney. They'll go boating and have barbeques. His children will grow up rich and privileged and Josh will eventually get sucked into that world, too. (38.45)
One of the reasons Emma struggles with Josh's fabulous future is that she feels that it will create a divide between them. When he marries Sydney, Josh will become a part of that other world—the one with fancy cars and houses by the lake. Emma feels like this will change Josh and make him somebody different.