Funny Story

by Emily Henry

Life, I’d learned, is a revolving door. Most things that come into it only stay awhile.

“Things go smoother if you don’t let people get a rise out of you,” he says. “If you give them control over how you feel, they’ll always use it.” “Finally, I see your cynical side,” I say. He smiles, but his jaw is tight, and the smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “It’s not cynical. If you don’t give other people responsibility for your feelings, you can have a decent relationship with most of them.”

“What about audiobooks?” I say. “Does that count?” he asks. “Of course it counts,” I say.

“Even if she stumbled upon that black bear who was addicted to cocaine, I picture her fighting back and faring pretty well.”

But it also takes a kind of fearlessness, to invite someone into your space and ask to be invited into theirs.