Atmosphere

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Bravery is being unafraid of something other people are afraid of. Courage is being afraid, but strong enough to do it anyway.”

Everything else in Joan’s life was thinking thinking thinking thinking. But when she picked up that pencil to draw or put her hands on the cool keys, the thinking stopped.

Admitting you were afraid always took more guts than pretending you weren’t.

Being willing to make a mistake got you further than never trying.

Vanessa didn’t quite understand either side of it—the betrayal of someone or the forgiveness possible. But Steve had said that over time, she would understand both. Once she’d loved someone long enough, she’d understand that anything is possible, that she was capable of worse and greater acts than she knew.

The knowledge that the part of Joan’s day that was in black and white had ended, and color was about to bleed in and flood her night.

she hadn’t picked up on this part of falling in love, that someone could look at you as if you were the very center of everything. And even though you knew better, you’d allow yourself a moment to believe

you were worthy of being revolved around, too.

“I don’t even think I had any say in it. It happened without me even giving myself permission.”