Everything, Everything

by Nicola Yoon

“Everything’s a risk. Not doing anything is a risk. It’s up to you.”

I want to say something, not just something, but the perfect thing to comfort him, to make him forget his family for a few minutes, but I can’t think of it. This is why people touch. Sometimes words are just not enough.

“You’re not living if you’re not regretting.”

Into all lives a little turbulence must fall.

I don’t understand. Just because it’s the first time doesn’t make it less real, does it? Even the universe has a beginning.

No one is supposed to be good at everything. Math and English and biology and chemistry and history and sports. It’s not decent to be good at everything. Three or four things at the most. Even that is pushing the bounds of good taste.