More Happy Than Not

by Adam Silvera

It’s easy to forget it’s there when it’s not glowing, until all of a sudden it comes back and surprises you; it reminds me of grief.

“Okay. No wasting time. I’m going to come out and say it. I think I might . . . maybe . . . kind of . . . sort of . . . possibly . . . be . . .” “ . . . Is this fill-in-the-blank?”

Memories: some can be sucker punching, others carry you forward; some stay with you forever, others you forget on your own. You can’t really know which ones you’ll survive if you don’t stay on the battlefield, bad times shooting at you like bullets. But if you’re lucky, you’ll have plenty of good times to shield you.

The boy with no direction taught me something unforgettable: happiness comes again if you let it.