Story telling

You are repeating your own words exactly, so you need quotation marks. Which tense is correct depends entirely on what exactly you said in the past. This is called a direct quotation.

So, I was like, "That wasn't going to happen to me on my watch."
So, I was like, "That isn't going to happen to me on my watch."

Bear in mind that this use of like is very informal.

I'm actually quite impressed by the natural sentence you've created. While my father may believe that "like" and "you know" are the two most serious threats to eloquent English out there, it's used a LOT in stories like this. I use it. Thought I try not to use it with him.

It's used to describe your emotions and sensations as well as your words, including things you would have liked to ha

PreciousJonesSo, I was like that isn't going to happen to me on my watch.

In this representation of informal style, I would punctuate it thus:

So, I was like, that isn't going to happen to me on my watch.

If you actually spoke the words, it would help to use quotation marks, as Aspara Gus suggested. If they were merely your thoughts, t

fivejedjon If you actually spoke the words, it would help to use quotation marks, as Aspara Gus suggested. If they were merely your thoughts, then there is no real need.

I agree. However, without the quotation marks, the reader can't be certain whether the words were spoken or thought, so I would italicize them. This is a common practice in written storytellin

5jj, what's the phrase that means you are telling the story in the present tense.
Do then I open the door, and this guy is standing there, and I'm like, whos's this hottie, but instead I just say "Can I help you?" and he says... (etc.)
Narrative present... something like that. But I can't remember.

Grammar GeekNarrative present... something like that. But I can't remember.

Yes, it's the narrative present, also called historical present.