It's Not Like It's a Secret

by Misa Sugiura

But me, I’m happy. I know something, for once. I know what I want. I want to kiss Jamie, and I also want to spend days at the beach with her, spend winter vacation and Valentine’s Day with her, read poetry with her, go to prom with her. I want it all. Actually, I guess I’ve kind of wanted all of that since the beginning, but the difference now is that I’m not scared of wanting it anymore. I’m not scared of what it means. I don’t know if Jamie wants the same thing. That’s what scares me now. But if she does want what I want, then oh. Oh, how amazing that would be.

“Sometimes the parents have to run to catch up with their children, instead of the other way around.”

hiding the truth doesn’t stop things from being true. Not talking about things doesn’t stop them from happening. Pretending that a thing is something else doesn’t change its true nature.

I love that image of the truth, like some small, fragile thing that you have to take care of, but maybe it will grow into something strong and beautiful. It comes as a result of all the words, even the bad ones. It makes everything worth it.