I Hope This Doesn’t Find You

by Ann Liang

I’m so used to taking responsibility for everything, to apologizing to her and everyone else, that it feels wrong not to say sorry.

because it’s easier to say I hate you than you hurt me. Because both options might shatter my heart, but at least one of them leaves my pride intact.

What I’m realizing is that if you’re quiet about the things that hurt you, people are only going to mistake your tolerance for permission. And they’re going to hurt you again and again.