“Honesty in principle was one thing. In someone’s face, it was another.”

“How ballsy it was to just assume you know, with one glance, the things another person could live without. As if it was the same for everyone, that simple.”

“That was the thing about being alone, in theory or in principle. Whatever happened-good, bad, or anywhere in between-it was always, if nothing else, all your own.”

“and I wondered if, in the end, this is how all disputes are settled, with a shared silence as things become equal. You take something from me, I take something from you. We all want balance, one way or another.”

“For a second none of us said anything, and I wondered if, in the end, this ishow all disputes are settled,with a shared silence as things become equal. You take something from me, Itake something from you.We all want balance, one way or another.”

“Anyone can hide. Facing up to things, working through them, that's what makes you strong.”

“Sure, it sucked to be lost, but I'd long ago realized I preferred it to depending on anyone else to get me where I needed to go. That was the thing about being alone, in theory or in principle. Whatever happened- good, bad, or anywhere in between- it was always, if nothing else, all your own.”