Before I Fall

by Lauren Oliver

The light is weak and watery-looking, like the sun has just spilled itself over the horizon and is too lazy to clean itself up.

If you repeat something enough, you can almost make yourself believe it.

Things change after you die, though—I guess because dying is about the loneliest thing you can do.

I guess that’s what saying good-bye is always like—like jumping off an edge. The worst part is making the choice to do it. Once you’re in the air, there’s nothing you can do but let go.