Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me

“I’m seventeen. I like making things out of other things. I like the smell of strawberries, but not the taste. I’m a good kisser, I think.”

This quote, appearing early in the book, offers insight into Freddy’s character. The mix of bravado and uncertainty in her statements reflects the typical mindset of a teenager navigating the complexities of adolescence. By mentioning that she likes “making things out of other things,” Freddy reveals her creativity as well as her ability to transform and adapt. The juxtaposition of liking the smell of strawberries but not the taste suggests a dichotomy in her preferences and personality. Importantly, Freddy’s allusion to being a good kisser introduces the book’s central theme of love and romance, foreshadowing the upcoming challenges she will face in her relationship with Laura.

“The hardest part of all this, aside from the astounding fact that being dumped feels like food poisoning, is that I’m always losing a person who was just there. Like she’s gone, but she’s not gone. I can still smell her deodorant on my sheets…I can still text her.”

Freddy employs a simile to compare the feeling of being dumped to food poisoning, emphasizing the physical and emotional discomfort she experiences. The sensory language, such as the lingering scent of Laura’s deodorant on Freddy’s sheets, underscores the intimacy of their relationship and the difficulty of letting go. Freddy’s observation that Laura is “gone, but she’s not gone,” highlights the ambiguous nature of modern breakups, where technology allows for continued communication and connection, even after the relationship has ended.