The Two of Us

by Taylor Torres

“Do you have any?” “Kids?” An uncomfortable laugh bubbles out of me. “Gosh, no. I don’t make enough money to pay for the therapy they’d need.”

Real

Being touched by someone can feel meaningless until you’re touched by the right person.

Socializing is fun in theory, but most of the time it just feels exhausting. Sometimes it even gives me a headache.

could sit here all day and try to convince you of how pretty you are, but I’m not going to because being pretty is not the accomplishment you think it is.” His fingers lift my chin. “Be kind. Be funny. Be interesting. That is where you will find your power.”

“When I die, I don’t want people to be wrapped up in their sadness. I want them to remember the happy stuff. I want them to remember that I made them laugh. Made them dance.”

I’ve learned that disappointment is a by-product of expectation.

I will no longer concern myself with begging people to stay. Begging them to

No matter how much you love someone, you can’t save them from drowning. They have to love themselves enough to learn how to swim.”

“Some things are easier to say in the dark.”

When my mom gave me this scarf, she went on and on about how it’s designer and shouldn’t be worn frivolously. So naturally, I’m wearing it for outdoor horseplay.

And I laugh along with him, ignoring the little voice in my head telling me that there’s nothing even remotely funny about that.

“You’re kidding me. Mara, you promised me.” I jerk my head back. “Excuse me? I didn’t promise anything.” “You did, you promised!” “When exactly did I promise to have sex with you, Brandon?”

WHy is thi so relatable

don’t know, but whoever you are, you smell hot. Like Sandalwood and bad decisions. Don’t tell my boyfriend.”

She passed drunk an hour ago and when I tried to take the drink from her hands, she tried to bite me like a piranha.

Me

“Healing isn’t linear, Mara,” Mitsu says. “Some days it’s five steps forward and other days it’s seven steps back. There’s no finish line. The goal is just to keep stepping.”

“The idea behind it is that even when something’s broken, we can always put it back together. And when we put it back together and embrace those cracks of imperfection, it’s even stronger and more beautiful than before.”

But that’s the thing about truth. Sometimes we mistake our emotions for the truth. Sometimes our truth isn’t the truth at all.