Here We Go Again

by Alison Cochrun

Competency is the perfect antidote to anxiety. She doesn’t know who she is if she’s not a teacher.

Still, she listens to “Bitch” whenever she feels the intense need to rage, because raging is so much safer than the alternative: the untethered spiral of anxiety that spools out whenever she loses control.

“Life is the prickly pear. It’s always going to be a combination of beauty and hurt, no matter how hard you try to protect yourself from the hard parts. There is no way to avoid pain.”

She thought Rosemary would kiss like they’re in a Jane Austen novel, but she kisses her like they’re in a Jane Austen movie adaptation.

Yesterday, kissing Logan in the rain felt like writing when the words were good. It felt like everything inside her was clicking together, instinct and art melding in her fingertips, like that was the thing she was put on this earth to do. Write stories and kiss Logan Maletis.

“You girls want some Tuesdays with Morrie advice?” Joe says when they’re all back in the car. “Here it is. Take more nudes while you’re young.”