Days of Distraction

by Alexandra Chang

Somebody once asked me to identify the emotions that most strongly affect my life and the actions I do or don’t take. I couldn’t name them at the time, but now I’ve thought more about the question. Here is the answer I’ve come up with: revenge and regret and fear and guilt.

“I was hoping to make friends,” I say to J, back in the car. “You didn’t like them?” he asks. “It’s not that I don’t like them,” I reply. “I just don’t want to be like them.”