Choices are made in brief seconds and paid for in the time that remains

His scars were hidden and safe in her hand.

[Their love] had burned itself out, like a forgotten candle in an empty room, leaving behind a ravenous discontent.

She found herself thinking of how it would feel to be safely trapped in his arms, with no more possibility to choose.

The love of those we don't love in return settles on the surface and from there quickly evaporates.

Do you really like studying?" Mattia nodded. "Why?" "It's the only thing I know how to do," he said shortly. He wanted to tell her that he liked studying because you can do it alone, because all the things you study are already dead, cold, and chewed over. He wanted to tell her that the pages of the schoolbooks were all the same temperature, that they left you time to choose, that they never hurt you and you couldn't hurt them either. But he said nothing.

In the end it happens, in some way you couldn't imagine before.