Looking him in the eye is a challenge. It’s my choice.
VERONICA ROTHLooking him in the eye is a challenge. It’s my choice.
VERONICA ROTHIt’s strange how time can make a place shrink, make its strangeness ordinary.
VERONICA ROTHI gasp, pressing both palms to my chest. Now the monstrous thing has its claws around my throat, squeezing my airway. I twist and put my head between my knees, breathing until the strangled feeling leaves me.
VERONICA ROTHThe truth is… you are hurting me. Not on purpose, I know that. But I love you and every second that you don´t love me back…it hurts.
VERONICA ROTHThat’s what love does. When it’s right, it makes you more than you were, more than you thought you could be.
VERONICA ROTHThere is a difference between admitting and confessing. Admitting involves softening, making excuses for things that cannot be excused; confessing just names the crimes at its full severity.
VERONICA ROTHMy mother told me once that we can’t survive alone, but even if we could, we wouldn’t want to.
VERONICA ROTHSometimes, all it takes to save people from a terrible fate is one person willing to do something about it. Even if that “something” is a fake bathroom break.
VERONICA ROTHWe are not people who touch each other carelessly; every point of contact between us feels important, a rush of energy and relief.
VERONICA ROTHMaybe there’s more we all could have done, but we just have to let the guilt remind us to do better next time.
VERONICA ROTHI am a naturally curious person. -Tris
VERONICA ROTHIt’s strange how a word, a phrase, a sentence, can feel like a blow to the head.
VERONICA ROTHMy mother knit scarves for the neighborhood kids. My father helped Caleb with his homework. There was a fire in the fireplace and peace in my heart, as I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing, and everything was quiet.
VERONICA ROTHWhen you’re a writer, you hear your internal critic, and that’s really hard to get over. And then sometimes you hear critiques from classmates and stuff.
VERONICA ROTHTo find that place between what I want and what I think is wise.
VERONICA ROTHI can’t answer either question. But the look she gives me reminds me of the look in the attack dog’s eyes in the aptitude test – a vicious, predatory stare. She wants to rip me to pieces. I can’t lie down in submission now. I have become an attack dog too.
VERONICA ROTH