When a relationship is romantic in nature, people have a harder time letting shit go. They hold on to your faults and mistakes like a score card.

Relationships for me have to be purely functional. I’ve emotional ones through my family and friends, where I get all the love and support I need. Then there are sexual relationships. Not that I’ve had any of those, but should the situation arise, I’ll just keep the two separate. Life is less messy, less painful when everyone knows their place and what’s expected.

As he searched my eyes, I searched his. I could see the sincerity there, lying underneath insecurity and hope. I’d made him doubt when I pushed him away. Now he was putting everything on the line, hoping for a chance at what he wanted. I could kick myself for causing him pain. The thought of the time wasted between us. The dam finally broke as the one thing that I hadn’t dared to hope for was just made true—someone loved me.

When we put our running shoes on and fight tooth and nail to hide from someone, it’s because that’s the person who really matters. That’s the one person you fear will see what’s inside you and cringe. You’d rather live with the not-knowing than to give it a chance.

We’re all some mixture of mind and soul. My theory’s always been that when you meet that person you’re willing to work for, it’s because their level matches your own. Maybe not in the same way, or for the same reasons, but enough for them to accept you as you are.

Have you ever met your soulmate?” [...] “Well, it’s not something you want to happen to you at a young age. A soulmate is a responsibility, and when you’re young, you’re just too stupid and immature to handle something that big. You’re bound to fuck it up. Not with anything earth-shattering, but little mistakes here and there add up. And before you know it, it’s broken. And you’re still too young and stupid to know how to fix it.