Tonight is for our first time and will be our first time. Together. Together together. And I'm ready. Ready ready. I think. I think I'm ready.
-- Narrator (chapter 1)

Importance: Neon's use of fragmented syntax enacts his anxiety. He is in the bathroom, trying to calm down before having sex with Aria for the first time. The way he thinks about the experience illustrates his simultaneous excitement and worry. He knows that the experience is significant for both him and Aria and is therefore trying to remind himself that he will be okay. These lines establish the primary stakes of the novel.

Me, in the mirror . . . Wondering if she'll let me look at her. Before. And if she'll look at me. Before. And if we'll look at each other the same. After.
-- Narrator (chapter 1)

Importance: The way that Neon thinks about having sex with Aria for the first time reveals the importance of the upcoming experience. He...