Love and Other Conspiracies

by Mallory Marlowe

Never. I try not to think of myself as fragile, but I like how Hayden cares enough to mind if I break.

“Come on, everyone deserves someone to take care of them when they’re sick.”

He holds on to me like he feels lucky to have me.

grief breaks a lot of things.

As Nora happily chomps on a Crunchwrap and sips her glass of wine, I look at the way Jamie looks at her and how he loves the tiny, weird parts of her without even thinking about it.

I wanted to stand out and matter. But now I know that I do—to the people who matter. And what I want is a lifetime of those mornings, someone to say good night to me every night, someone to take care of me when I’m sick, and someone who lets me do all the same right back.