A lot of authors see their book being banned or challenged as a badge of honor. But for me, it's nothing but frustrating and upsetting. I hear from readers that my work encouraged them to ask for help or reach out to someone about the situation they're in. When you hear stories like that on a daily basis and then hear adults call for your work to be banned, it's proof of why the stigma around these issues is so dangerous.

She wants to believe my excuses so bad. Every time I lie, she wants to believe me so much.

God, I am freaking out. Maybe he doesn’t know. Maybe I just look guilty of something and he’s picking up on that.

I waited a second. Should I? No... but I will.

Because it may seem like a small role now, but it matters. In the end, everything matters.

My heart and my trust were in the process of collapsing. And that collapse created a vacuum in my chest.

But you can't get away from yourself. You can't decide not to see yourself anymore. You can't decide to turn off the noise in your head.