How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Brian looked squashed, which, I have to admit, was the look I was after. I'm really a pretty crappy friend. (1.14)
Messing with your friend for no reason? Yeah, John treats Brian like dirt—on purpose—and then gets surprised when he doesn't have any friends. It's clear that John just doesn't get how to treat people right (which—surprise—most people expect in a friend).
Quote #2
I had to laugh, which probably wasn't the response Brian was expecting. But I don't mind him zinging me back. It's the only reason we're friends at all. We recognized each other the first day we met—two hollow souls trying to pass for normal. Together we still add up to zero, but at least our hopelessness has a twin. It works well enough. I don't mind hanging around with a kindly fool, and Brian doesn't mind hanging around with a witty misanthrope. And it appears to the world as if we each have at least one friend. (1.18)
Poor John even admits he doesn't have any other friends, and that he's only friends with Brian in the first place because they can rag on each other. It doesn't seem like much of a friendship to us. Over time, John figures out there's more to being a friend than just mocking someone.
Quote #3
"It's so weird that we're, sort of, friends," she said. "But I guess stranger things have happened." (5.76)
Marisol and John are certainly an unlikely coupling since neither of them trusts anyone or lets outsiders in. We couldn't have said this better ourselves. They realize it's weird for them to become friends, but little do they know how weird things are about to get.