Events conspired to bring you back to where you'd been. It was what you did then that made all the difference: it was all about potential.

It was like when you ripped a piece of paper into two: no matter how you tried, the seams never fit exactly right again.

I took his wildness from him and tried to fold it into myself, filling up the empty spaces all those second place finishes left behind.

I wondered if emotions were like menstrual cycles, if you get enough women together. Give it time, and everyone was crying.

Failing sucks. But it's better than the alternative." "Which is?" "Not even trying." Now he did look at me, straight on. "Life's short, you know?

Maybe if I'd agreed to do the debutante thing like she wanted. Or taken up pageants instead of riding jump bikes with a bunch of grungy boys. I'd always tell her, why can't I do both? Who says you have to be either smart or pretty, or into girly stuff or sports? Life shouldn't be about the either/or. We're capable of more than that, you know?

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