“She would rather remain silent, but her voice is no longer something to fear. Its strong. Powerful. A weapon of emotions.”

“It hurts, Summer cries, head shaking back and forth. Please, make it stop. Sweat beads on her forehead.What hurts? Cameron asks.My eyes.Summers eyes open. Everyone gasps. Theyre no longer blue; the...”

“She draws back, yet refuses to lose skin contact. Golden light flickers across his face. He is the night, the stars. His soul shines so brightly, she could pour it into a jar, and itd be as bright ...”

“Why wont you look at me? she murmurs.He doesnt speak, seemingly at a loss for words.Its my scars. It comes out as barely a whisper.Horror spasms across his face. What? No, he says, a bit breathless...”

“Refusing to listen to him any longer, Julian backs up. Whenever you realize working together is in Summers best interest, come find me, Boy Scout. Until then, Ill just pretend you dont exist. Then ...”

“Why arent you smiling? Cameron asks. She picks up the Astropad and stops the video.Because this is the beginning, not the end.”

“Meditation did not relieve me of my anxiety so much as flesh it out. It took my anxious response to the world, about which I felt a lot of confusion and shame, and let me understand it more complet...”

“All this wondering was the weather vane on top of the building of unrest and of discontent”

“Anxiety is love's greatest killer. It makes others feel as you might when a drowning man holds on to you. You want to save him, but you know he will strangle you with his panic.”

“Why wont you look at me? she murmurs.He doesnt speak, seemingly at a loss for words.Its my scars. It comes out as barely a whisper.Horror spasms across his face. What? No, he says, a bit breathless...”

“Why arent you smiling? Cameron asks. She picks up the Astropad and stops the video.Because this is the beginning, not the end.”

“She waits for his reprimand or words of disapproval.He kisses her instead. Hard. Lips demanding, fingers tightening on her chin. He consumes her with this single act.”

“I cannot fail these girls by diverting my eyes from the invisible residue of slavery that clings to them like a shadow.”

“No matter what chains are broken, slavery is a condition of the heart.”

“in this great land of the free we call it human trafficking. And so long as we dont partake in the luxury, ignoring slavery is of no consequence. It is much easier to look away and ignore the victi...”