Built to Fall

by Julia Wolf

“There’s a difference between being intimidated by how gorgeous and cool another woman is and being genuinely fearful of a man. You know that, right?”

He looked at me like I was the snack he wanted to eat after an afternoon of swimming—and everyone knew post-swim meals were the best.

“I am familiar with your music. I’ve been listening to your voice since I was a little girl. I had your poster on the back of my bedroom door when I was in middle school. And when I moved out of the home I shared with my ex into my sister’s apartment, I fell asleep in my tiny closet bedroom listening to “Angel Moon” on repeat.” “Middle school, huh?” I laughed. “That’s all you picked up on from that?”

I’d seen a lot of sexy women in my life. I’d had a lot of them too. Some of their sexiness was contrived and purely for show, some came naturally. Watching Claire suck sugar off her thumb had to be one of the sexiest things I’d ever seen. It pissed me off. Right the fuck off.

“Being hurt by the man who’s supposed to love you doesn’t mean you’re not a strong woman. It means the man is weak.”

The difference between us was I saw myself as a work in progress, and he viewed himself as a factory reject, destined to be tossed aside as imperfect and unworthy.

“You know, I kept thinking you were the right person, but our timing was off.”

Oooof been there 😓

“I’m so fucking sorry, Claire. I would never hurt you, but I get that seeing me hurt someone else isn’t okay either. All I can tell you is I’m not in that dark place anymore, and the place I’m in now makes me want to be better. Not just for you, but for me. For Dyl.”

Therapy? Anger management? Anything?

“I’ve been seeing someone—” “What?” I breathed. His eyes flew open. “A therapist. I’ve been seeing a grief therapist.” “Oh.” I slumped against the wall. “Your phrasing needs some work.”

GOOD