As long as once owned, do not ask for eternity

Augustus Waters: [on the phone] I cannot stop thinking about this Goddamned book.

Hazel Grace Lancaster: You're welcome.

Augustus Waters: However, we do need closure, don't you think?

Hazel Grace Lancaster: That is exactly what I was asking Van Houten for in my letters.

Augustus Waters: But he never responded.

Hazel Grace Lancaster: Nope.

Augustus Waters: [inhales theatrically] "Dear Mr. Waters. I write to thank you for your electronic correspondence. I am grateful to anyone that sets aside time to read my book."

Hazel Grace Lancaster: [sits up excitedly] Augustus?

Augustus Waters: Yes?

Hazel Grace Lancaster: What are you doing?

Augustus Waters: I may have found Van Houten's assistant. E-mailed her.

Hazel Grace Lancaster: Augustus!

Augustus Waters: She may have forwarded that e-mail onto Van Houten. Shall I continue?

Hazel Grace Lancaster: Oh my God, yeah, go go go!

Augustus Waters: "I am particularly indebted to you, sir." Hazel Grace, he just called me "sir."

Hazel Grace Lancaster: Augustus, keep reading! Keep reading!

Augustus Waters: "... both for your kind words about "An Imperial Affliction" and for taking the time to tell me that the book, and here I quote you directly, 'meant a great deal' to you and your friend Hazel Grace'."

Hazel Grace Lancaster: [screams excitedly] You did not! No, you did not, you did not, you did not!

Augustus Waters: Of course I did. "To answer your question: No, I have not written anything else, nor will I. I do not feel like continuing to share my thoughts with readers would benefit either them or me. However, thank you for your generous e-mail. Yours most sincerely, Peter Van Houten." So yeah, that just happened.

Hazel Grace Lancaster: Oh my God!

Augustus Waters: I've been trying to tell you, I'm kind of awesome.

Hazel Grace Lancaster: Is this where you bring all your romantic conquests?

Augustus Waters: Yeah, every last one of them. Which is probably why I'm still a virgin.

Hazel Grace Lancaster: You are not still a virgin! Are you really?

Augustus Waters: Let me show you something.

[picks up a stick and draws a circle in the ground]

Augustus Waters: See this circle? That is the circle of virgins.

Hazel Grace Lancaster: Uh-huh?

[Gus draws another barely visible circle within the already drawn circle]

Augustus Waters: And this... is 18-year-old dudes with one leg.