“We're so different. You're an intellectual. I'm an idiot."
"Don't say that," I yelled. "You're not an idiot, you stupid idiot.”
― Melina Marchetta, Looking for Alibrandi

“I never thought meeting you would be this boring. I thought we'd put our Italian emotion into gear and scream the place down. I never expected indifference.”
― Melina Marchetta, Looking for Alibrandi

“One day" came.
Because finally I understood.”
― Melina Marchetta, Looking for Alibrandi

“Nicholas this is one of those 'yes' or 'no' questions again. You seem to have a problem with those. Did you or did you not kill a woman - Jo”
― Lynsay Sands, The Renegade Hunter

“I'm scared to die," I whispered as Michael walked in.
"He was scared to live," he said kissing my forehead.”
― Melina Marchetta, Looking for Alibrandi

“Sometimes I feel like a junkie. One minute something happens in my life and I'm flying. Next minute I take a nose-dive and just as I'm about to hit the ground with full force something else will have me flying again.”
― Melina Marchetta, Looking for Alibrandi

“Josie, life is not a Mills and Boon book. People fall out of love. People disappoint other people and they find it very hard to forgive.”
― Melina Marchetta, Looking for Alibrandi

“He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Okay, would you like pizza?"
"I don't think you deserve my company but I feel sorry for you so I'll say yes."
"God help me," he said, half under his breath.”
― Melina Marchetta, Looking for Alibrandi

“But it was definitely a car trailing me and quickly I prepared myself for a great dash. I began quickening my step and when it stopped alongside me I could stand it no longer.
"My father's a cop and he'll kill you," I screeched without looking.
"No, he's a barrister," I heard Michael Andretti say in a calm voice, "and he'll kill you if you don't get into this car.”
― Melina Marchetta, Looking for Alibrandi

“I spent the whole morning looking at him. He looked at Mama. Mama looked at me. Then he would look at me. I would look at Mama. She would look at him. In different circumstances, I'd be amused.”
― Melina Marchetta, Looking for Alibrandi

“I'd run you know. It's like when you're really busy doing something and you don't have time to think about things. Well, I'd run and run and run so I couldn't think.”
― Melina Marchetta, Looking for Alibrandi

“God knows what possessed me, but having that science book in my hand propelled me to immediate action. So I hit her with it.”
― Melina Marchetta, Looking for Alibrandi

“What did she say to you?"
"Nothing."
"Oh, great. I have to try to get you out of this mess after you hit a girl for nothing," he whispered angrily. "Josephine, don't waste my time. You don't seem like a violent type. She had to have said something to rile you.
"I just don't like her. She's vain. She puts her hair all over my books when she sits in front of me in class."
"So you hit her?"
"No ... yes."
"A girl puts her hair all over your books, so you break her nose?"
"Well, I don't think it's broken, personally."
"Doctor Kildare, we are not here to give a medical opinion. I want to know what she said to you."
"God," I yelled exasperated. "She said something to upset me, okay?"
"What? That you were ugly? That you smell? What?"
I looked horrified.
"I'm not ugly. I don't smell."
He sighed and took off his glasses, sitting down in front of me and pulling my chair towards him. "I was just asking for a reason."
"Never mind," I said.
"That creep out there wants -you to pay for his daughter's nose-job. Because of that nose-job she will be a famous model one day and you'll be working in a fast-food chain because you couldn't finish your Higher School Certificate due to expulsion. Now tell me what she said."
"There's nothing wrong with a fast-food chain," I said, thinking of my McDonald's job.
"I'm really getting pissed off now, Josephine. You called me out of work for this and you won't tell me why."
"Just go," I said, as he stood up and paced the room.
"I'll defend myself in court."
He groaned and looked up to the ceiling pulling his hair. "God save me from days like this," he begged.
"Go," I yelled.
"Okay. Let him win. He's a creep. Creeps always win," he said walking to the door. "But don't think you're going to make it in a court room, young lady. If you can't be honest, don't expect to stand up in a court room and defend honesty."
"She called me a wog, amongst other things," I said, finally. "I haven't been called one for so long. It offended me. It made me feel pathetic."
"Did you provoke her?"
"Yes. I called her a racist pig due to some things she was saying."
"Is she one?"
"God, yes. The biggest.”
― Melina Marchetta, Looking for Alibrandi

“I think if I'm ever asked to recall what Year 12 was all about, I'll remember it as one big cappuccino experience.”
― Melina Marchetta, Looking for Alibrandi

“There's nothing to took forward to any more if you don't have dreams," he said. "Because dreams are goals and John might have run out of goals. So he died.”
― Melina Marchetta

“Josephine è uno e molti. È fatta di respiri, ricordi, paure. Sogni, anche. Il suo nome è sconosciuto ai più, ma chi la incontra sa riconoscerla. Ha tanti volti. I suoi occhi ciechi esplorano intensamente tutti i mondi. E ha un’anima per ogni universo. Josephine vive su una stella. O nel fango delle paludi. O tra gli sterminati campi di grano delle praterie. Su ruvide montagne di roccia o tra le sabbie rosse di pianeti lontani. Sopra di lei, un cielo carico di oscuri presagi. Intorno, ombre dense e un corposo silenzio. Acque fluide la avvolgono e la cullano.
Josephine è ovunque, e in nessun luogo.”
― Monica Serra, Le Mele Avvelenate