If you ask me where I'm from, I'll lie to you. I'll tell you my parents were missionaries. I'll tell you I'm from Boston. I"ll tell you I'm from Texas. Those lies, people believe. I'm better at lying than I am at telling the truth because the lies don't make me nervous. It's the truth, the though of telling it, that triggers my awkward laugh and my sweaty palms, makes me not want to look you in the eye. I know I won't like what I'll see.
-- Lauren Hough (Solitaire)

Importance: These lines compose the first paragraph of "Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing." They suggest that Hough struggles with her identity and does not feel fully comfortable being truthful with anyone about her past. Here, Hough foreshadows the revelation that she grew up in the Children of God cult, and introduces the theme of identity that she will continue to explore throughout the...