June First

by Jennifer Hartmann

Sometimes a lot of love can make you cry.”

I don’t think I want a lot of love.” “It’s a good thing to have,” I tell her. “The downside is, the more love you have, the harder it is to lose it.”

Being brave is a choice, and choice is the greatest weapon of all. I promise,

He said he’d always protect me…but he has no clue that he’s the one striking me down.

You’re my whole world, and I can’t lose a piece of my world or it wouldn’t be whole anymore.”

“I can only love you. There’s no other way.”

The first law of nature is self-preservation. Cut off that which may harm you. But if it is worth preserving, and is meaningful, nourish it and have no regrets. —T. F. HODGE, FROM WITHIN I RISE

“You just need to be brave that first time, then all the other times come easy.”

“You were unsure which pain is worse: the shock of what happened, or the ache for what never will.” —SIMON VAN BOOY, EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL BEGAN AFTER

I’m in love with someone I shouldn’t be in love with. Someone I can’t have.

But at least it wouldn’t hurt half as much as it does right now, being desperately in love with her, unable to see a future with anyone but her…not being able to live a normal, healthy life as a single man because I already belong to someone I can’t even touch.”

“It’s not fair that I can’t have the woman I’m madly in love with, who’s wriggling around in my lap, stroking me through my jeans, telling me that my cock would fucking wreck her.”

“This is more than complicated. This is impossible.” “Nothing is impossible when two people love each other.”

“I love him, Celeste…I love him so much, but I don’t know how to love someone I’m not allowed to be with.”

“No relationship comes without a fight, but it has to be worth fighting for. It has to be worth all the sacrifices you’ll inevitably have to make.”

“I’ll never regret this,” I tell him. I kiss the top of his head, his damp curls tickling my nose. “Never.” I’ll never regret you.

It just…happened. Because that’s what love does. It happens. It sneaks up on you, and then it burrows. It festers in your blood. And once it’s in your blood you can’t just flush it out. It’s a part of you. Trying to get rid of it would be like cutting off a limb or carving your heart right out of your chest.”

“When you find the right person, there is no ‘right time.’ There’s only right now because that’s all we ever have.”

I don’t love this either. I don’t love that I fell for the one person I shouldn’t have. It’s not fair. It hurts.

“How do I know which way is right?” He cocks his head as the game flickers across from us. “There’s no right way, Peach, and there’s no wrong way. There’s only the way you choose and what you decide to make of that choice.”

He’s letting me go so easily, like I’m nothing more than water in his palm.

I can’t stop crying. Even though I know in my heart that I need to do this, it’s the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make.

“The downside is the more love you have, the harder it is to lose it.” “We’ll never lose it. I’ve been yours since the day I was born and I’ll be yours until the day I die. Distance doesn’t change destiny.”

“I missed you,” I whimper. “I missed you so much.” “I’m done missing you. I’m done sleeping alone. I’m done wishing for a future with you when you’re still here.”