You’ve given up on yourself before anyone else has a chance to.”Silence greeted me.I could feel Rider’s stare on me. Several moments passed. “That’s bullshit, and kind of priceless coming from you. You gave up on me yesterday.”I started to defend myself, but I couldn’t. I swallowed hard. “I know. You’re right about that, but I’m also right.”“And how’s that?” Challenge hardened his tone.“Because I give up on myself on a daily basis,” I admitted. My cheeks heated but I continued. “I know.”He sucked in an audible breath. “Mallory...”I shook my head as I thought about all the conflicting emotions and needs and wants. “It’s true. It’s what I do. I don’t mean to. Or maybe I do. It’s...it’s easier being scared of everything.”“How...how can that be?” His voice softened. “How can that be easier?”My smile was faint. Suddenly, I really wished I was at home, with my head under the blankets. “You can’t fail when you don’t really try, right? You’d know that.
Jennifer L. Armentrout, The Problem with Forever
chance, easier, fail, give-up, know, mallory-dodge, rider-stark, try