Ready or Not

by Cara Bastone

Don’t worry, Eve, your body is taking care of you. It’s a novel idea. Because if it’s not just me taking care of my body. If listening to my body means that it’s taking care of me too, then…maybe, just maybe…I’m not completely alone.

“Men are absolute buttheads and for the love of God, please don’t let them dictate your self-worth.”

It was in those moments that the idea for this story first came to me. That the most meaningful romance doesn’t wait to arrive once you feel ready. It doesn’t wait for your bangs to grow out or your skin to clear up. Romance doesn’t love you more because you are (almost) perfect. Romance loves you because you are (charmingly) imperfect. Romance sees you trying your hardest at a very difficult point in your life and thinks, you know what, I think she could probably use a sandwich right now.