---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The question I should've been asking…"
description: "\"“The question I should've been asking myself was, in ninety-nine years, how will I find another Forfeit who will survive the Feed? But the question I a..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/brodi-ashton-2357_question_the-question-i-should-ve-been-asking-mys_2338300.jpg"
---

#  The question I should've been asking myself was, in…

![“The question I should've been asking myself was, in ninety-nine years, how will I find another Forfeit who will survive the Feed? But the question I actually asked myself was, Could Nikki ever look at me the way she looked at Jack in those final moments?” quote by Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/brodi-ashton-2357_question_the-question-i-should-ve-been-asking-mys_2338300.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/brodi-ashton-2357_question_the-question-i-should-ve-been-asking-mys_2338300.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/brodi-ashton-2357_question_the-question-i-should-ve-been-asking-mys_2338300.jpg)

> ““The question I should've been asking myself was, in ninety-nine years, how will I find another Forfeit who will survive the Feed? But the question I actually asked myself was, Could Nikki ever look at me the way she looked at Jack in those final moments?””

[Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

## About This Quote

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

The speaker contrasts existential dread about finding a worthy partner with personal longing for a specific connection, highlighting fear of loss and desire for intimacy.

**In simple terms:** Fear of losing love versus longing for a specific person.

Key Takeaway

Cherish meaningful connections.

Themes

love loneliness existential anxiety

Mood

melancholic hopeful

Type

emotional introspective

When to use this quote

- relationships
- personal growth
- mental health

Key Concepts

attachment survival future planning

Questions to Reflect On

- What qualities truly matter in a partner?
- How do we balance fear and hope?

A Different Perspective

The focus on a single person may overlook broader possibilities.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Actually Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually-asked-2138549/) [Asked Nikki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked-nikki-5650332/) [Asking Ninety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking-ninety-5650333/) [Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Years Forfeit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-forfeit-5650334/)

## Related quotes

> [Hal Prince and Andrew actually asked me if I would be interested in continuing with 'Phantom', but obviously I was under contract to 'Les…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-wilkinson/hal-prince-and-andrew-actually-asked-me-if-i-would-be-interested-in/)

[Colm Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-wilkinson/)

> [“When I got home I planned to call her and ask her straight out if Jake had actually asked her out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kahler/when-i-got-home-i-planned-to-call-her-and-ask-her-straight-out-if/)

[Katrina Kahler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kahler/)

> [I've actually been asked once or twice if I had some Puerto Rican in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grey-damon/i-ve-actually-been-asked-once-or-twice-if-i-had-some-puerto-rican-in/)

[Grey Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grey-damon/)

> [“One last question, if you have a moment…” Jack said. “Shoot.” “How do you kill an Akh ghost?” There was a pause on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/one-last-question-if-you-have-a-moment-jack-said-shoot-how-do-you/)

[Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

> [“The question for the man of sense is: Do we or do we not want to go to hell? And his answer is: No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/the-question-for-the-man-of-sense-is-do-we-or-do-we-not-want-to-go-to/)

[Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/)

> [Every morning when I pick up the newspaper and read about an earthquake in Japan or problems in European financial institutions, the first question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/every-morning-when-i-pick-up-the-newspaper-and-read-about-an/)

[Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/)

> [Lie to me once, &amp; I'll question everything you say after that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lie-to-me-once-i-ll-question-everything-you-say-after-that/)

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

> [Nobody ever wins by the cavalry coming to rescue you. It isn't a question of you're happy if you get married, or you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/nobody-ever-wins-by-the-cavalry-coming-to-rescue-you-it-isn-t-a/)

[Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/)

> [I visited the archeological site at the northern tip of Newfoundland. There is no question about it. It has been definitely determined that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-freedman/i-visited-the-archeological-site-at-the-northern-tip-of-newfoundland/)

[Russell Freedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-freedman/)

> [“And if you can’t say yes, answer anyway. Because I’d rather live with the answer than die with the question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ellis/and-if-you-can-t-say-yes-answer-anyway-because-i-d-rather-live-with/)

[Jon Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ellis/)

> [“What does he look like? The question was soft- tentative. I knew who he meant. I interlaced my fingers through Rhysand's and squeezed tightly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/what-does-he-look-like-the-question-was-soft-tentative-i-knew-who-he/)

[Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/)

> [Everything affects hip-hop. The question is, how does it affect the money that corporations are going to invest to put out different kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/everything-affects-hip-hop-the-question-is-how-does-it-affect-the/)

[will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/)

> [What you are is a question only you can answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/what-you-are-is-a-question-only-you-can-answer/)

[Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/)

> [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

## More by Brodi Ashton

> [“Look, Nik, I know you don't like public scrutiny lately. If you stand off to the side, all mopey and such, without a date,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/look-nik-i-know-you-don-t-like-public-scrutiny-lately-if-you-stand/)

[Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

> [“I’d found my redemption, and my hero. And I was going to get him back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/i-d-found-my-redemption-and-my-hero-and-i-was-going-to-get-him-back/)

[Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

> [“It's just that even though I'm totally old and unhip,I remember what boys in high school were like.Especially the kind like Jack Caputo." "What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/it-s-just-that-even-though-i-m-totally-old-and-unhip-i-remember-what/)

[Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

> [“Did you forgive her?" I looked at her with a start. Jack dropped his salad back in the bucket. "What?" "Did you forgive Nikki?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/did-you-forgive-her-i-looked-at-her-with-a-start-jack-dropped-his/)

[Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

> [“Hey,Nik." I turned around to see Cole, dressed head to toe in black. Black suit, black shirt,black tie hanging loose around his neck. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/hey-nik-i-turned-around-to-see-cole-dressed-head-to-toe-in-black/)

[Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

> [“He took a deep breath and held out his hand. "We got off to a bad start, but you're obviously a friend of Becks's."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/he-took-a-deep-breath-and-held-out-his-hand-we-got-off-to-a-bad-start/)

[Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

> [“Stop thinking about it, Nik!" "What?" He grinned and shook his head. "You know what. You're looking at my hair like an addict at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/stop-thinking-about-it-nik-what-he-grinned-and-shook-his-head-you/)

[Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

> [“Faith?” The word popped out before I could think about it. “Faith in what? A higher power? The gods? The universe?” My voice cracked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/faith-the-word-popped-out-before-i-could-think-about-it-faith-in-what/)

[Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

> [“I know that look. It comes in the quiet moments, like this one. I know you're thinking that this is all your fault and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/i-know-that-look-it-comes-in-the-quiet-moments-like-this-one-i-know/)

[Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

> [“Jack was behind it,waiting, with the corner of his lip pulled up in not quite a smile. "What?" he demanded. "What what?" I asked.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/jack-was-behind-it-waiting-with-the-corner-of-his-lip-pulled-up-in/)

[Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

> [“I had believed there was no such thing as redemption. I knew now I was wrong. Redemption had not come from grand gestures of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/i-had-believed-there-was-no-such-thing-as-redemption-i-knew-now-i-was/)

[Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

> [“One last question, if you have a moment…” Jack said. “Shoot.” “How do you kill an Akh ghost?” There was a pause on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/one-last-question-if-you-have-a-moment-jack-said-shoot-how-do-you/)

[Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

> [“Now you've done it." His tone was quietly playful. I couldn't help it.I looked up at him questioningly. "You've added a third word to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/now-you-ve-done-it-his-tone-was-quietly-playful-i-couldn-t-help-it-i/)

[Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

> [“You've never been in love?" He let out a quiet breath,and I felt him shake his head. "Easy to say. Harder to feel." He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/you-ve-never-been-in-love-he-let-out-a-quiet-breath-and-i-felt-him/)

[Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

> [“Give me your heart,” I said. He tilted his head, leaned forward, watching my eyes the entire time to make sure it was okay,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/give-me-your-heart-i-said-he-tilted-his-head-leaned-forward-watching/)

[Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

[Explore all 165 Brodi Ashton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/)

## More Question quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [What you are is a question only you can answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/what-you-are-is-a-question-only-you-can-answer/)

[Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/)

> [Everything affects hip-hop. The question is, how does it affect the money that corporations are going to invest to put out different kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/everything-affects-hip-hop-the-question-is-how-does-it-affect-the/)

[will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/)

> [“What does he look like? The question was soft- tentative. I knew who he meant. I interlaced my fingers through Rhysand's and squeezed tightly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/what-does-he-look-like-the-question-was-soft-tentative-i-knew-who-he/)

[Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/)

> [“And if you can’t say yes, answer anyway. Because I’d rather live with the answer than die with the question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ellis/and-if-you-can-t-say-yes-answer-anyway-because-i-d-rather-live-with/)

[Jon Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ellis/)

> [I visited the archeological site at the northern tip of Newfoundland. There is no question about it. It has been definitely determined that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-freedman/i-visited-the-archeological-site-at-the-northern-tip-of-newfoundland/)

[Russell Freedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-freedman/)

> [Nobody ever wins by the cavalry coming to rescue you. It isn't a question of you're happy if you get married, or you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/nobody-ever-wins-by-the-cavalry-coming-to-rescue-you-it-isn-t-a/)

[Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/)

> [Lie to me once, &amp; I'll question everything you say after that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lie-to-me-once-i-ll-question-everything-you-say-after-that/)

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

> [Every morning when I pick up the newspaper and read about an earthquake in Japan or problems in European financial institutions, the first question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/every-morning-when-i-pick-up-the-newspaper-and-read-about-an/)

[Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/)

> [“The question for the man of sense is: Do we or do we not want to go to hell? And his answer is: No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/the-question-for-the-man-of-sense-is-do-we-or-do-we-not-want-to-go-to/)

[Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/)

> [Sober alkies are often asked: "When did you hit rock bottom?" but a more informed question might be: "How many times did you hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/sober-alkies-are-often-asked-when-did-you-hit-rock-bottom-but-a-more/)

[Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/)

> [I feel like everyone puts a lot of question on me, what I'm going to do offensively, but I'd like to affect the game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trea-turner/i-feel-like-everyone-puts-a-lot-of-question-on-me-what-i-m-going-to/)

[Trea Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trea-turner/)

> [ The question is whether \[suicide\] is the way out, or the way in. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-question-is-whether-suicide-is-the-way-out-or-the-way-in/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [It turns out that this part of the brain is one of the first areas that's attacked by Alzheimer's disease. So we can now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-keefe/it-turns-out-that-this-part-of-the-brain-is-one-of-the-first-areas/)

[John O'Keefe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-keefe/)

[Browse all 3,177 Question quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“The question I should've been asking myself was, in ninety-nine years, how will I find another Forfeit who will survive the Feed? But the question I actually asked myself was, Could Nikki ever look at me the way she looked at Jack in those final moments?”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Brodi Ashton"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/the-question-i-should-ve-been-asking-myself-was-in-ninety-nine-years/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Question"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/the-question-i-should-ve-been-asking-myself-was-in-ninety-nine-years/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/brodi-ashton-2357_question_the-question-i-should-ve-been-asking-mys_2338300.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/brodi-ashton-2357_question_the-question-i-should-ve-been-asking-mys_2338300.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/brodi-ashton-2357_question_the-question-i-should-ve-been-asking-mys_2338300.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The question I should've been asking myself was, in ninety-nine years, how will I find another Forfeit who…” — Brodi Ashton",
                "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": "Brodi Ashton",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“The question I should've been asking...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/the-question-i-should-ve-been-asking-myself-was-in-ninety-nine-years/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/the-question-i-should-ve-been-asking-myself-was-in-ninety-nine-years/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
