The Paradise Problem

by Christina Lauren

“When we care about someone, they deserve the benefit of the doubt. We have to consider not only what they did, but also why they did it. Intent matters,”

“Even if it’s awful, it’s going to be okay,” she says. “You know how I know that?” I turn in her arms, leaning back against the counter and loosely wrapping my arms around her. “How?” “Because even if it goes off the rails, even if everyone ends up shouting and crying and accusing, they’ll still leave at the end of the night, and we’ll still have our house and our life and this love that nobody can touch.”