A Fragile Enchantment

by Allison Saft

am afraid that I will fail, despite all the pains I have taken. I am afraid I will let everyone down. And deep down, I am afraid that I am horribly, irredeemably selfish because I am so afraid that I will die without having let myself live at all.”

You don’t need to work yourself to the bone. You don’t need to do things for people before you ever think to do a thing for yourself. Whatever you think you have to prove or earn, it’s all in your head. Your existence alone is enough.

He tasted like smoke, and he smelled like rain and damp wool, and she might very well go mad from how good he made her feel.

He would dismantle her entirely if she let him.