One important quote from the beginning of the book illustrates the reaction the girls have to each other when they arrive at peer counseling. Julie Anne Peters writes:
"What are you looking at?" Jazz sneered at me.
Your purple hair? Your black lips? Your shredded jeans? "Nothing," I muttered.
This sets up the initial dynamic between the two girls. Antonia and Jasmine couldn't be more different. However, they grow to find a bridge between them that helps them relate to one another better.
Another important quote shows how Antonia isn't coping with the problems in her life. Peters writes:
Dr. DiLeo reached out and touched my arm. I recoiled. "You can do this, Antonia. I know you can. She needs your help. I need your help."
Yeah, everyone in the world needed my help. So who was helping me?
Earlier in the scene, Dr. DiLeo says that she's a perfect...
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person and that they can't find anyone else to help. Antonia resents this because even though she looks as if her life is great on the outside, she's struggling with a variety of problems.
Of course, ultimately things aren't what they seem. Jazz is the real peer counselor and Antonia is the one getting help. Though she's upset at first, she does recognize that Jazz helped her. Peters writes:
"You're an awesome peer counselor."
"Yeah, right" She looked away.
"You are," I said. "You really helped me, Jazz. You know you did."
The girls reconcile and both are better off for having spent time together.
There are a number of important quotes which highlight the theme of the book - that appearances can be deceiving.
"Let's just say that, with Jazz, there's more than meets the eye" (Antonia - Chapter 2).
"Just because I'm joking around doesn't mean I'm not serious. Haven't you ever heard of laughing through the tears" (Jazz - Chapter 4).
"People shouldn't judge other people by the way they look" (Jazz). "But they do. Surprise!" (Antonia - Chapter 5).
"My body is my temple. I can decorate it anyway I want" (Jazz). 'Don't expect anyone to worship at your altar" (Antonia - Chapter 5).
"Expression meant everything to Jazz...And Jazz's music was the way she expressed the person she was inside...passionate, strong, joyful...Whenever I was with her, she made me feel that way...Which, I suddenly realized, was why I liked being around her" (Antonia - Chapter 23).
"What you said about people watching me and not listening to the music was right...I didn't want that to happen. Not today...But I don't think I'm sacrificing my temple. Tomorrow it's back to worshiping at my own altar" (Jazz - Chapter 30).
"According to my father, you're the only normal friend I have" (Jazz - Chapter 30).