Asterisk*

*

Nothing's a coincidence. This isn't a full list. Find it all.

A symbol,

A metaphor,

A matter of heart.

It's a game,

Count how many you got,

The rest ready to be found.

Our Minds

Backstories and Backstabbing*

(Marcus)

" I mean, even the dictionary defines falling in love as a "deep romantic or sexual desire towards someone."

One constant theme is that Marcus is super into choosing each word carefully, so when the dictionary defines something, he's very straightforward when it comes to that definition. It's all he sees. But by the end, he's eventually figured out love means to him, even if it doesn't mean that same thing to someone else.

"Listening to people describe their experiences is like listening to someone describing a gory horror movie."

Apollo is super into horror movies. The first "scene" we see him in is watching the Nightmare on Elm Street. In general, horror movies are things that people really dislike or like, with there being a very slight in between. He's figuring out whether he likes that or not at that moment.

Past and Present*

(Apollo)

"They had insisted we have a great big feast before I left, even though I said I was fine with Chipotle and watching HGTV."

HGTV stands for home and garden television. This network usually broadcasts old houses that get fixed up before they are sold or returned to the owner. Apollo's currently going to the museum to "fix himself" from whatever went on in the day. A safe place.

"My dad switched on some soap opera from back in the day, convinced that it was the greatest show ever created, even though I couldn't stand to watch it."

This whole chapter is the familiarity of Apollo "not living." Stuffed animals, going to the same place that he always goes, watching familiar TV with his family. When college starts and he meets Marcus, he's plunged into that unpredictability.

Majesties and Misfits*

(Marcus)

"Unfortunately, I soon found out that was just because he simply didn't care."

Marcus says this in reference to Dash. Later, we find out that Dash really did care for Marcus, maybe a little too much, by yelling at him all the time like a parent. Marcus instead sees this as him not caring, or him not "letting him live" like he wants to.

"He was currently getting his masters in linguistics, a subject he was actually interested in, somehow."

Linguistics is the scientific study of language. Yet another reason Marcus is so careful with his words; Dash was too.

Butterflies and Bellyaches*

(Apollo)

"Once the time came, the fall from grace was done with utter care, a light breeze and a cascade downwards."

It's safe to say Apollo didn't have a graceful fall. He smashed down like a ton of bricks, crumbling down. He wants to be a butterfly, but he's far from it. But he'll get there.