You didn't fail. You just opted out. There's a difference.

It's okay to accept things from people. It doesn't make you weak or helpless.

“Well," Isaid finally, knowing he was waiting, “you make me laugh.” He nodded. “And?” “You're pretty good-looking." ""Pretty good-looking? I called you beautiful." "You want to be beautiful?" I asked him. "Are you saying I'm not?"

It seemed like this day could go in so many directions, like a spiderweb shooting out toward endless possibilities.

I had this wild thought that he was the only one in all this chaos who was just like me, and that was comforting and profound all at once.

Maybe it was true, and being a girl could be about interest rates and skinny jeans, riding bikes and wearing pink. Not about any one thing, but everything.

If there's one thing I've learned in the last few months, it's that sometimes you just have to close your eyes and jump.