--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And stop doing that,” he said. “Backing…" description: "\"And stop doing that,” he said. “Backing away, giving me that look.” Like you’re scaring me? Maybe you are.” He stepped back so fast he wobbled and caug..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/kelley-armstrong-581_backing-away_and-stop-doing-that-he-said-backing-away_1659675.png" --- # And stop doing that,” he said. “Backing away, giving me… ![“And stop doing that,” he said. “Backing away, giving me that look.” Like you’re scaring me? Maybe you are.” He stepped back so fast he wobbled and caught himself, and the look on his face—It vanished in a second, the scowl returning. I’d never hurt you, Chloe. You should know—” He stopped. Paused…” quote by Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/kelley-armstrong-581_backing-away_and-stop-doing-that-he-said-backing-away_1659675.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/kelley-armstrong-581_backing-away_and-stop-doing-that-he-said-backing-away_1659675.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/kelley-armstrong-581_backing-away_and-stop-doing-that-he-said-backing-away_1659675.png) > “And stop doing that,” he said. “Backing away, giving me that look.” Like you’re scaring me? Maybe you are.” He stepped back so fast he wobbled and caught himself, and the look on his face—It vanished in a second, the scowl returning. I’d never hurt you, Chloe. You should know—” He stopped. Paused. Then wheeled and started walking away. “Next time? Handle it yourself. I’m done taking care of you.” [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character asserts independence, refusing to rescue someone who repeatedly needs help, highlighting self‑reliance and boundary setting. **In simple terms:** He tells someone to handle their own problems. Key Takeaway Set boundaries, stop enabling. Themes independence boundaries self‑reliance Mood defiant determined Type advice dialogue When to use this quote - friendship conflict - family dynamics - workplace mentorship Key Concepts personal responsibility codependency assertiveness Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance help with self‑reliance? - When is it okay to step back? A Different Perspective May cause isolation if over‑applied. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Backing away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backing-away/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Next time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-time/) [Walking away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walking-away/) ## Related quotes > [He had a newspaper rolled in his hand, bearing down on me like a puppy that had piddled on the carpet. "Bad Chloe,” I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/he-had-a-newspaper-rolled-in-his-hand-bearing-down-on-me-like-a-puppy/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Chloe? It's me." After a pause, he added, "Derek," like I could mistake that deep rumble for anyone else, like I could mistake that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/chloe-it-s-me-after-a-pause-he-added-derek-like-i-could-mistake-that/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [He bent, lips coming to mine and — 'Derek? Chloe?' It was Kit, opening the back door. Derek let out a low growl. 'Never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/he-bent-lips-coming-to-mine-and-derek-chloe-it-was-kit-opening-the/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [He's having a vision," I said. "That's what happens." (Maya) "Attractive, I know," Corey said between gritted teeth. "And now I get new witnesses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/he-s-having-a-vision-i-said-that-s-what-happens-maya-attractive-i/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [I let out a laugh that sounded more like the yip of a startled poodle. "Superp-powers? I wish. My powers aren't winning me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/i-let-out-a-laugh-that-sounded-more-like-the-yip-of-a-startled-poodle/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [All right, then. Emergency medical situation, take two.” He leaped to his feet, staggered, keeled over, then lifted his head weakly. “Chloe? Is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/all-right-then-emergency-medical-situation-take-two-he-leaped-to-his/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [No", Tori said, " I kidnapped her and forced her to escape with me. I've been using her as a human shield against those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/no-tori-said-i-kidnapped-her-and-forced-her-to-escape-with-me-i-ve/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [I slid closer, feeling his arms close around me, tightening. Our lips touched-- "Derek?" his dad called. "Chloe?" Derek let out a growl. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/i-slid-closer-feeling-his-arms-close-around-me-tightening-our-lips/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [“Backup?" Tori said. "You mean he didn't need that?" "Apparently not," I murmured. Simon looked from her to me, confused, then understanding. "You guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/backup-tori-said-you-mean-he-didn-t-need-that-apparently-not-i/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [“Simon whispered to me, “But is everything okay?” “No,” Tori said. “I kidnapped her and forced her to escape with me. I’ve been using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/simon-whispered-to-me-but-is-everything-okay-no-tori-said-i-kidnapped/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [You didn't answer my question. Are you all right?" I didn't do anything" Yeah. You did." He looked at me. "You did a lot"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/you-didn-t-answer-my-question-are-you-all-right-i-didn-t-do-anything/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Great. So if I saw a guy standing still, and he wasn't wearing an old uniform, I just had to ask him to walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/great-so-if-i-saw-a-guy-standing-still-and-he-wasn-t-wearing-an-old/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Simon had drawn three pictures. In the top left corner, like a salutation, was a ghost. The middle had a big sketch of Arnold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/simon-had-drawn-three-pictures-in-the-top-left-corner-like-a/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Was she telling you to stay away from me?" I asked. He paused, then said, "Yeah." He squeezed my hand out of Aunt Lauren's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/was-she-telling-you-to-stay-away-from-me-i-asked-he-paused-then-said/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [We had one gun, one werewolf, one poltergeist, one supercharged spell-caster, one not-so-supercharged spell-caster, and one perfectly useless necromancer, though Liz was quick to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/we-had-one-gun-one-werewolf-one-poltergeist-one-supercharged-spell/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) ## More by Kelley Armstrong > [So," I said. "Seems you're going to be stuck with me for a while." He smiled. A real smile that lit up his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/so-i-said-seems-you-re-going-to-be-stuck-with-me-for-a-while-he/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [“He turned my way, and I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't notice for a second. Then I realized I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/he-turned-my-way-and-i-was-so-engrossed-in-my-thoughts-that-i-didn-t/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [when times are tough, the weak bail and the tough get creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-times-are-tough-the-weak-bail-and-the-tough-get-creative/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Nuh-uh. No deals with the devil. I’ve learned my lesson on that one. ~Jaime Vegas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/nuh-uh-no-deals-with-the-devil-i-ve-learned-my-lesson-on-that-one/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [“Another night then,' Mom said. 'Maybe on the weekend we can have a barbecue and invite your sister.' 'Or,' I said turning to Rafe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/another-night-then-mom-said-maybe-on-the-weekend-we-can-have-a/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Believe me, I have better things to do than sabotage your friendships. No one else's world revolves around you, Cassandra." -Paige to Cassandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/believe-me-i-have-better-things-to-do-than-sabotage-your-friendships/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Reviews are great. I can read negative reviews and say, 'You know that point they made... they were dead on.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/reviews-are-great-i-can-read-negative-reviews-and-say-you-know-that/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [When a series is doing well, it's very tempting to keep writing it, even when the creative well is drying up. It's tempting because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-a-series-is-doing-well-it-s-very-tempting-to-keep-writing-it/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [You bat your baby blues at tall, dark, and gruesome, and next thing you know, he's trailing you like a lost puppy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/you-bat-your-baby-blues-at-tall-dark-and-gruesome-and-next-thing-you/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [With no chance to take off, I had to play my role, searching for the rendezvous spot, which gave me the excuse to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/with-no-chance-to-take-off-i-had-to-play-my-role-searching-for-the/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [When I glanced at the chair, it started to shake. I’d like to think it was scared of me, but I rarely invoked that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-i-glanced-at-the-chair-it-started-to-shake-i-d-like-to-think-it/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [“Nonsense, Chloe. I certainly hope you aren't afraid of cemeteries" "Um, no" Tori said. "It's the bodies buried in them that worry her. Uh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/nonsense-chloe-i-certainly-hope-you-aren-t-afraid-of-cemeteries-um-no/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [I was...a journalist...though my typical beat was freelancing articles on Canadian politics, which never included any mention of demonic phenomena, though it might explain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/i-was-a-journalist-though-my-typical-beat-was-freelancing-articles-on/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [I found something" Simon said as he walked in. He whipped out an old-fashioned key from his pocket and grinned at me. "It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/i-found-something-simon-said-as-he-walked-in-he-whipped-out-an-old/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [“He laughed and tugged me down in a kiss. Then, lips still close enough to feel them tickle mine, he said, "You know this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/he-laughed-and-tugged-me-down-in-a-kiss-then-lips-still-close-enough/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) [Explore all 458 Kelley Armstrong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) ## More Backing away quotes > [I'm strong. I'm myself. I'm done saying sorry for things that aren't my fault. I'm done backing down and away when I didn't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/i-m-strong-i-m-myself-i-m-done-saying-sorry-for-things-that-aren-t-my/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [If, when you talk to people, they keep backing away from you, it's because you're TOO CLOSE, alright? SO DON'T KEEP ADVANCING ON THEM…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-when-you-talk-to-people-they-keep-backing-away-from-you-it-s/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [“I said no. You’re not backing away from this. From me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-said-no-you-re-not-backing-away-from-this-from-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He who lays up treasures on earth spends his life backing away from his treasures. To him, death is loss. He who lays up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/he-who-lays-up-treasures-on-earth-spends-his-life-backing-away-from/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [“I heard someone say once that many of us only seem able to find heaven by backing away from hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/i-heard-someone-say-once-that-many-of-us-only-seem-able-to-find/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [Sometimes you can only find Heaven by slowly backing away from Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/sometimes-you-can-only-find-heaven-by-slowly-backing-away-from-hell/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [“She was backing away from him now. Don’t go, was his first panicked thought. Followed by: Hurry up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-anne-long/she-was-backing-away-from-him-now-don-t-go-was-his-first-panicked/) [Julie Anne Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-anne-long/) > [Violet heard the coughing and came running back. She sank down on the bench beside Rose, putting her arm around the older girl and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-day-george/violet-heard-the-coughing-and-came-running-back-she-sank-down-on-the/) [Jessica Day George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-day-george/) > [Around 1967 I began backing away from dogmatic Leninism, not so much because I thought it was false, I just decided there was nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-flynt/around-1967-i-began-backing-away-from-dogmatic-leninism-not-so-much/) [Henry Flynt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-flynt/) > [His brother maintained that what sent people backing away was neither his size nor his mother's blood, but solely the expression on his face.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/his-brother-maintained-that-what-sent-people-backing-away-was-neither/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“I don’t think you’d hurt me.” He had been paying attention to the knife and not the conversation. “Baby, if you had any idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-zanetti/i-don-t-think-you-d-hurt-me-he-had-been-paying-attention-to-the-knife/) [Rebecca Zanetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-zanetti/) > [MR.GOUDY: I believe you testified that you backed away from Aaron Wharton. MR.COGBURN: That is right. MR.GOUDY: You were backing away? MR.COGBURN: Yes sir.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/mr-goudy-i-believe-you-testified-that-you-backed-away-from-aaron/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [Democrats have a history of backing away, backing down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/democrats-have-a-history-of-backing-away-backing-down/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [I get that that the violent illegal immigrants will be removed from the country. But what I am not hearing and I am wondering,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/i-get-that-that-the-violent-illegal-immigrants-will-be-removed-from/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [He who lays up treasures in heaven looks forward to eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/he-who-lays-up-treasures-in-heaven-looks-forward-to-eternity/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) [Browse all 21 Backing away quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backing-away/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And stop doing that,” he said. “Backing away, giving me that look.” Like you’re scaring me? Maybe you are.” He stepped back so fast he wobbled and caught himself, and the look on his face—It vanished in a second, the scowl returning. I’d never hurt you, Chloe. You should know—” He stopped. Paused. Then wheeled and started walking away. “Next time? 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