--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Jamie chose that moment to almost fall…" description: "\"Jamie chose that moment to almost fall down the stairs. Mae took his whole weight and grabbed the banister. Seb reached out but Jamie shied away, and N..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/sarah-rees-brennan-994_balance_jamie-chose-that-moment-to-almost-fall-d_2581278.png" --- # Jamie chose that moment to almost fall down the stairs… ![“Jamie chose that moment to almost fall down the stairs. Mae took his whole weight and grabbed the banister. Seb reached out but Jamie shied away, and Nick gave Jamie a push in the chest that was clearly intended to right him, but that nearly had him toppling over backward. Balance eventually…” quote by Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/sarah-rees-brennan-994_balance_jamie-chose-that-moment-to-almost-fall-d_2581278.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/sarah-rees-brennan-994_balance_jamie-chose-that-moment-to-almost-fall-d_2581278.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/sarah-rees-brennan-994_balance_jamie-chose-that-moment-to-almost-fall-d_2581278.png) > “Jamie chose that moment to almost fall down the stairs. Mae took his whole weight and grabbed the banister. Seb reached out but Jamie shied away, and Nick gave Jamie a push in the chest that was clearly intended to right him, but that nearly had him toppling over backward. Balance eventually restored to them all, Jamie gave Nick an approving look. "You are my friend," he told him. "Yeah, I am," said Nick. "But these stairs," Jamie said sadly. "They are not my friends.” [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A scene where friends intervene to prevent a fall, highlighting trust, friendship, and the precariousness of life. **In simple terms:** Friends help each other avoid danger. Key Takeaway Value supportive friendships. Themes friendship trust danger balance support Mood tense reassuring Type narrative emotional When to use this quote - young adult fiction - character development Key Concepts intervention risk social bonds physical safety Practical Applications - adventure - drama - psychology Questions to Reflect On - When should you intervene? - How do you balance help and autonomy? A Different Perspective Reliance on others can create dependency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Falling down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falling-down/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Weight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weight/) ## Related quotes > [“For a long time," he said at last, "when I was small, I pretended to myself that I was the bastard of some great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/for-a-long-time-he-said-at-last-when-i-was-small-i-pretended-to/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [I'll drive both of you," Seb offered at once. Mae nodded at him with gratitude. "No," Jamie said sternly. "I'm never getting into your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-ll-drive-both-of-you-seb-offered-at-once-mae-nodded-at-him-with/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [And what are you doing here, Nicholas? Decided to watch me sleep?" "Yes," said Nick, and bowed is head over his sword again. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/and-what-are-you-doing-here-nicholas-decided-to-watch-me-sleep-yes/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Oh God, Mae," said Jamie in a hollow voice, descending the stairs. "I will never drink again. I'm only seeing in black and white.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/oh-god-mae-said-jamie-in-a-hollow-voice-descending-the-stairs-i-will/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Sin met Mae and Alan coming into the flat. Mae frowned. "Is it no-shirts festival day?" "Every day with Nick is no-shirts festival day,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/sin-met-mae-and-alan-coming-into-the-flat-mae-frowned-is-it-no-shirts/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Maybe he likes the look of Mae," Nick drawled. "Don't be ridiculous." Nick raised his eyebrows. "Does he like the look of Jamie?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/maybe-he-likes-the-look-of-mae-nick-drawled-don-t-be-ridiculous-nick/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Oh, you need Alan to betray Nick and then you'll steal Nick's powers and kill them both," said Mae. "Great idea. Hey, can i…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/oh-you-need-alan-to-betray-nick-and-then-you-ll-steal-nick-s-powers/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“Merris, this is Mae and Jamie." Merris unbent slightly. "Alan's young lady, I presume?" Mae actually blushed. "Er - no." "Young Nicholas's, then," Merris…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/merris-this-is-mae-and-jamie-merris-unbent-slightly-alan-s-young-lady/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [I didn't mean for you to take that the wrong way," He said abruptly. Mae stared at him in amazement. So, for that matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-didn-t-mean-for-you-to-take-that-the-wrong-way-he-said-abruptly-mae/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Mae, he made me go out for a run," Jamie called out. "Tell him I don't run!" "Jamie and I are lilies of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/mae-he-made-me-go-out-for-a-run-jamie-called-out-tell-him-i-don-t-run/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“The girl might have an unsettling crying problem, but she was pure steel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/the-girl-might-have-an-unsettling-crying-problem-but-she-was-pure/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [They walked to school, talking about how much they were longing for the summer holidays. "Oh, I am planning things," said Jamie. "Great, great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/they-walked-to-school-talking-about-how-much-they-were-longing-for/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [I-" said Nick, his voice halting. "I don't mind it as much when - when people touch me. Some people." Mae looked down, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-said-nick-his-voice-halting-i-don-t-mind-it-as-much-when-when/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Unfortunately, the headlights of the car were bright enough for them to see Mae's outfit quite clearly. "Oh my God," said Nick, and shut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/unfortunately-the-headlights-of-the-car-were-bright-enough-for-them/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“Mae's first impulse was to die of shame, but she realized after a hot, stomach-clenching moment that this was probably impractical.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/mae-s-first-impulse-was-to-die-of-shame-but-she-realized-after-a-hot/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) ## More by Sarah Rees Brennan > [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [I wish," Jared began, and stopped, breathing in. 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Being comfortable in yourself is the best way to be attractive to others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-should-wear-whatever-clothing-you-feel-most-comfortable-in-being/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Jared glared. Some people, Kami knew, had bedroom eyes. She was saddened to have to admit that Jared had filthy alleyway eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/jared-glared-some-people-kami-knew-had-bedroom-eyes-she-was-saddened/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“There was silence in her head and silence beneath her window, and still she could not sleep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/there-was-silence-in-her-head-and-silence-beneath-her-window-and/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“I'm not doing much, said Jared, warm in her mind, the amusement lingering. Just stuck in an elevator with this creepy Asian girl giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-m-not-doing-much-said-jared-warm-in-her-mind-the-amusement/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“The most annoying thing, perhaps, was that the elven troop were obviously good people and were being kind to them, and yet Elliot felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/the-most-annoying-thing-perhaps-was-that-the-elven-troop-were/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [She clenched her fist in his T-shirt, put her other arm around those too-broad, too-real shoulders. When he tried to pull away, she held…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/she-clenched-her-fist-in-his-t-shirt-put-her-other-arm-around-those/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“You existing in the world is all I need.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-existing-in-the-world-is-all-i-need/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [I don't want to seem ungrateful when you have given me this thoughtful, homemade and totally terrifying gift," Jamie told him. "But you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-don-t-want-to-seem-ungrateful-when-you-have-given-me-this/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [She was kind of in love with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/she-was-kind-of-in-love-with-him/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Kami'd always retold her fairy tales to make the fair maidens braver and more self-sufficient, but she had never had any real objection to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/kami-d-always-retold-her-fairy-tales-to-make-the-fair-maidens-braver/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > ["Lay the knife at the tips of your fingers," Rob commanded. "So close youcan feel the blade against your skins. Then cut the shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/lay-the-knife-at-the-tips-of-your-fingers-rob-commanded-so-close/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) [Explore all 313 Sarah Rees Brennan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) ## More Balance quotes > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [she got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/she-got-a-reputation-for-an-easy-smile-and-a-sharp-tongue-and-using/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [Life's unfairness is not irrevocable; we can help balance the scales for others, if not always for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/life-s-unfairness-is-not-irrevocable-we-can-help-balance-the-scales/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [“We don't need to strive towards balance, we rather need to work on the obstacles that are preventing the natural flow of balance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-alebraheem/we-don-t-need-to-strive-towards-balance-we-rather-need-to-work-on-the/) [A.A. Alebraheem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-alebraheem/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. 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Five hundred miles an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/when-it-comes-down-to-music-i-have-no-balance-i-am-100-percent-it-is/) [Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/) [Browse all 5,166 Balance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Jamie chose that moment to almost fall down the stairs. Mae took his whole weight and grabbed the banister. Seb reached out but Jamie shied away, and Nick gave Jamie a push in the chest that was clearly intended to right him, but that nearly had him toppling over backward. 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