---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whatever happens between us, Elio, I just…"
description: "\"“Whatever happens between us, Elio, I just want you to know. Don’t ever say you didn’t know.” He was still chewing. In the heat of passion it would hav..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/andre-aciman-459_meant_whatever-happens-between-us-elio-i-just_2188501.png"
---

#  Whatever happens between us, Elio, I just want you to…

![“Whatever happens between us, Elio, I just want you to know. Don’t ever say you didn’t know.” He was still chewing. In the heat of passion it would have been one thing. But this was quite another. He was taking me away with him. His words made no sense. But I knew exactly what they meant.” quote by André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/andre-aciman-459_meant_whatever-happens-between-us-elio-i-just_2188501.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/andre-aciman-459_meant_whatever-happens-between-us-elio-i-just_2188501.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/andre-aciman-459_meant_whatever-happens-between-us-elio-i-just_2188501.png)

> ““Whatever happens between us, Elio, I just want you to know. Don’t ever say you didn’t know.” He was still chewing. In the heat of passion it would have been one thing. But this was quite another. He was taking me away with him. His words made no sense. But I knew exactly what they meant.””

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A lover expresses a desperate wish to be understood and remembered, despite confusing circumstances.

**In simple terms:** He wants to be known and remembered.

Key Takeaway

Seek clarity in communication.

Themes

love memory misunderstanding

Mood

conflicted longing

Type

romantic literary

When to use this quote

- confession
- relationship
- personal revelation

Key Concepts

intimacy subjectivity narrative

Questions to Reflect On

- What does being “known” truly mean?
- How do we interpret ambiguous affection?

A Different Perspective

His words may be poetic but lack concrete meaning.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [“See, what you do here is you work yourself away from the words, slowly shedding them until there's no more need of them, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-rutledge/see-what-you-do-here-is-you-work-yourself-away-from-the-words-slowly/)

Lynda Rutledge

> [If I could take away all the words I ever said, and everything I did.You wouldn't be the person you are now. Its a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazzy/if-i-could-take-away-all-the-words-i-ever-said-and-everything-i-did/)

[Jazzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazzy/)

> [The advantage of doing away with words is that you can reach out to any part of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prabhu-deva/the-advantage-of-doing-away-with-words-is-that-you-can-reach-out-to/)

[Prabhu Deva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prabhu-deva/)

> [“I am what I am and you can't take it away with all the words and sneers at your command.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherr-e-l-moraga/i-am-what-i-am-and-you-can-t-take-it-away-with-all-the-words-and/)

[Cherríe L. Moraga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherr-e-l-moraga/)

> [“Emotion~Writing a scene that you have to walk away from because you can't see the words through your own tears.~M. L. Stephens”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stephens/emotion-writing-a-scene-that-you-have-to-walk-away-from-because-you/)

M.L. Stephens

> [“Random thoughts that fly away. Where words has no place to stay. Let it be right where they are. Let the work of art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/happy-positivity/random-thoughts-that-fly-away-where-words-has-no-place-to-stay-let-it/)

Happy Positivity

> [Bluster - it fortifies me against the outside world. Take away the words, and I am lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-perkins/bluster-it-fortifies-me-against-the-outside-world-take-away-the-words/)

[Sue Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-perkins/)

> [A lot of children, like I did, move away from words because of the fear - which is something you have to take out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/a-lot-of-children-like-i-did-move-away-from-words-because-of-the-fear/)

[Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/)

> [“Isobel, this was the only way I knew how to reach you. After tonight it will all go away. I never meant for you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-creagh/isobel-this-was-the-only-way-i-knew-how-to-reach-you-after-tonight-it/)

[Kelly Creagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-creagh/)

> [“Doctor Parcival began to plead with George Willard. 'You must pay attention to me,' he urged. 'If something happens you will be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/doctor-parcival-began-to-plead-with-george-willard-you-must-pay/)

[Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

> [Acceptance does not mean inaction. We may need to respond, strongly at times...From a peaceful center we can respond instead of react. Unconscious reactions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/acceptance-does-not-mean-inaction-we-may-need-to-respond-strongly-at/)

[Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/)

> [Stop blaming others, whatever happens to you is nobody's fault if you get hurt because of disappointment is not the end of your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/stop-blaming-others-whatever-happens-to-you-is-nobody-s-fault-if-you/)

[Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/)

> [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“You've always been a know-it-all. Well, you're about to find out how much you don't know." "Believe me," I muttered, "I'm the first one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/you-ve-always-been-a-know-it-all-well-you-re-about-to-find-out-how/)

[Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/)

> [“The most terrible and beautiful and interesting things happen in life. For some of you, those things have already happened. Whatever happens to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/the-most-terrible-and-beautiful-and-interesting-things-happen-in-life/)

[Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/)

## More by André Aciman

> [Don't all writers have a hidden nerve, call it a secret chamber, something irreducibly theirs, which stirs their prose and makes it tick and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/don-t-all-writers-have-a-hidden-nerve-call-it-a-secret-chamber/)

[Andre Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“I wanted him to remember the morning on Monet's berm when I'd kissed him not the first but the second time and given him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/i-wanted-him-to-remember-the-morning-on-monet-s-berm-when-i-d-kissed/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [Rituals are how we step into our private field of dreams, a small Elysium all our own. Rituals are made not just for us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/rituals-are-how-we-step-into-our-private-field-of-dreams-a-small/)

[Andre Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“I desperately wanted to give him something. By contrast, taking seemed so bland, so facile, so mechanical.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/i-desperately-wanted-to-give-him-something-by-contrast-taking-seemed/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“The man who'll lay the last stone here isn't even born yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/the-man-who-ll-lay-the-last-stone-here-isn-t-even-born-yet/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [Proust is interested in minutiae because life, as he sees it, is seldom ever about things but about our impression of things, not about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/proust-is-interested-in-minutiae-because-life-as-he-sees-it-is-seldom/)

[Andre Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“Well, since you're not going to do anything with me—can you at least read me a story? I'd settle for that. I wanted him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/well-since-you-re-not-going-to-do-anything-with-me-can-you-at-least/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“This is heaven.” And I wouldn’t hear him say another word for at least an hour. There was nothing I loved more in life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/this-is-heaven-and-i-wouldn-t-hear-him-say-another-word-for-at-least/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“He loved the sticky taste. What had I done? I told him and pointed to the bruised evidence sitting on my desk. “Let me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/he-loved-the-sticky-taste-what-had-i-done-i-told-him-and-pointed-to/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“When had they separated us, you and me, Oliver? And why did I know it, and why didn't you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/when-had-they-separated-us-you-and-me-oliver-and-why-did-i-know-it/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“As we were swimming back, he asked as though it were an afterthought, “Are you going to hold last night against me?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/as-we-were-swimming-back-he-asked-as-though-it-were-an-afterthought/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“To be with you. To be with you, Oliver. With or without my bathing suit. To be with you on my bed. In your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/to-be-with-you-to-be-with-you-oliver-with-or-without-my-bathing-suit/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“I thought I could ever want another living soul, gently, softly, and, with the kindness one Jew extends to another, work his way into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/i-thought-i-could-ever-want-another-living-soul-gently-softly-and/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“Oliver: But there's the catch: you're still twenty years younger than those gathered around you, which is why I can be twenty-four in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/oliver-but-there-s-the-catch-you-re-still-twenty-years-younger-than/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [I cannot write if there is a sense of plenitude. I have to hypothesize that there is a loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/i-cannot-write-if-there-is-a-sense-of-plenitude-i-have-to-hypothesize/)

[Andre Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

[Explore all 527 André Aciman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

## More Meant quotes

> [If we are meant to be, no matter what, no matter how long it takes, we will be together. So I hope that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ely/if-we-are-meant-to-be-no-matter-what-no-matter-how-long-it-takes-we/)

[Ely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ely/)

> [When I was 13, I began relaxing my hair, and that meant when I turned 18 it began to crack and fall off, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/when-i-was-13-i-began-relaxing-my-hair-and-that-meant-when-i-turned/)

[Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/)

> [“Michael shook his head. "So what's on your good list?" Oh you know. Hero stuff that gets me rerun on CNN. Like, I died…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-collins/michael-shook-his-head-so-what-s-on-your-good-list-oh-you-know-hero/)

Shane Collins

> [Silly me, for a while I thought I actually meant something to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/silly-me-for-a-while-i-thought-i-actually-meant-something-to-someone/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

> [Marriage is meant to be more about your surrender than about your satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-means/marriage-is-meant-to-be-more-about-your-surrender-than-about-your/)

Scott Means

> [If its meant to be it will be. if not...Let it ride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-its-meant-to-be-it-will-be-if-not-let-it-ride/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If its meant to be, it will be. End of story. Im not chasing you if you're chasing after someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-its-meant-to-be-it-will-be-end-of-story-im-not-chasing-you-if-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Yeah, I'm just trying to figure out what it means. I've never heard of bonds sharing languages either, and yet...' I pull her even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-messenger/yeah-i-m-just-trying-to-figure-out-what-it-means-i-ve-never-heard-of/)

[Shannon Messenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-messenger/)

> [“You deserve better." Mercifully, he kept eating as he spoke. "You've got to stop thinking of me that way. When it's just you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/you-deserve-better-mercifully-he-kept-eating-as-he-spoke-you-ve-got/)

[Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/)

> [All of my work is meant to evoke a whole bunch of different layers of discord between the attraction and repulsion that we feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jordan/all-of-my-work-is-meant-to-evoke-a-whole-bunch-of-different-layers-of/)

[Chris Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jordan/)

> [“You meant so much to me... that I couldn't even say I love you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaori-yuki/you-meant-so-much-to-me-that-i-couldn-t-even-say-i-love-you/)

[Kaori Yuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaori-yuki/)

> [“Don't you know me by now, Angel? I never do what I'm meant for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-meltzer/don-t-you-know-me-by-now-angel-i-never-do-what-i-m-meant-for/)

[Brad Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-meltzer/)

> [If its really meant to be.. don't worry yourself crazy...it will all work out...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buubers/if-its-really-meant-to-be-don-t-worry-yourself-crazy-it-will-all-work/)

Buubers

> [Because when I have been busy at the United Nations during crises, it has meant working day and night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-frederick/because-when-i-have-been-busy-at-the-united-nations-during-crises-it/)

Pauline Frederick

> [If you love someone or something let it go, and if it comes back then it will be yours forever, if it doesn't, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-mae-sajo-gallego/if-you-love-someone-or-something-let-it-go-and-if-it-comes-back-then/)

[Christine Mae Sajo Gallego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-mae-sajo-gallego/)

Browse all 1,490 Meant quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Whatever happens between us, Elio, I just want you to know. Don’t ever say you didn’t know.” He was still chewing. In the heat of passion it would have been one thing. But this was quite another. He was taking me away with him. His words made no sense. But I knew exactly what they meant.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "André Aciman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/whatever-happens-between-us-elio-i-just-want-you-to-know-don-t-ever/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Meant"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/whatever-happens-between-us-elio-i-just-want-you-to-know-don-t-ever/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/andre-aciman-459_meant_whatever-happens-between-us-elio-i-just_2188501.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/andre-aciman-459_meant_whatever-happens-between-us-elio-i-just_2188501.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/andre-aciman-459_meant_whatever-happens-between-us-elio-i-just_2188501.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Whatever happens between us, Elio, I just want you to know. Don’t ever say you didn’t know.” He was still…” — André Aciman",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "André Aciman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Whatever happens between us, Elio, I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/whatever-happens-between-us-elio-i-just-want-you-to-know-don-t-ever/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/whatever-happens-between-us-elio-i-just-want-you-to-know-don-t-ever/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
