Don't You Forget About Me

by Mhairi McFarlane

“You loved me—then what right had you to leave me? Because . . . nothing God or Satan could inflict would have parted us, you, of your own will, did it. I have not broken your heart—you have broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine.”

I was furious afterward, the kind of fury you reserve for people who accuse you of something that’s absolutely true.

I had the kind of bosoms that tended to assert themselves.

I wept then and she said it’s good that you can cry about it. I said: Seriously? Why?

ostensibly merry but delivered with teeth,

He wears hand-stitched moccasin slippers around the house and yet I would lay down my life for him.

“Don’t be so bloody British,”

Fuck’s, and also sake.

“Your sanity is invalid if you’ve forgiven that rancid hound!”

Lord help me, I’m back on my bullshit.

Together, you looked like Cinderella and an enchanted rat coachman.”

Then, after the first hour of knowing her, I gathered that Kitty operates very few security checks on what’s coming out of her mouth.

I’m going to kill him. God help me, I’m actually going to commit a murder.

You can tell yourself all kinds of long-form lies, but split-second reactions reveal the truth.

I love my mum, but sometimes it does seem incredible we share DNA.

I ignore his sulky beauty, it can go to hell.

“You made decisions without all the information, which I’ve discovered is how we make every decision.”

“Aren’t you living in Dublin?” “No, not if you’re here.

“I wondered, Georgina, if you could imagine being in love with me again, the way I’m in love with you. And that given you’re the best thing to ever happen to me, if you could give me the chance to try to be the best thing that ever happened to you.”