The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic

by Breanne Randall

And this particular recipe, whatever it wound up being, would save Gigi’s life. When life hangs in the balance, it tends to narrow your scope of focus, bring priorities into sharp relief, with pointy edges that leave nicks in your heart.

“So?” she asked, drawing out the vowel with raised eyebrows. “Are you freaking out on the inside right now? Because you know I can never tell since you’re like a weird statue whenever you’re experiencing emotion.”

“Your problem,” Raquel went on, “is that you pretend to be a hard ass. You pretend you don’t care. But you never let go of hope. Because if there’s even the tiniest chance that someone can be redeemed, you’ll never let go.”

“Have you seen yourself walk? Try to ride a bike? Of course, I wouldn’t let you climb them. You’re a fucking menace to gravity.

“Hold on to hope no matter the cost, because as long as there’s hope, everything else is just the unfortunate side effects of heartbreak and magic.”