

“I've given lots of people chances," she said suddenly, as if Marion was still in the room to hear us. "But there's only so much faith you can have in people.”
― Someone Like You
― Someone Like You

“Mom." I couldn't believe she was doing this again. She was taking this moment, this time when I was strongest, away from me.
"I don't care what I have to do," she said, her voice low and even. "I don't care if I have to send you away or switch schools. I don't care if I have to follow you twenty-four hours a day, you will not see him, Halley. You will not destroy yourself this way."
"Why are you just assuming I'm going back to him?" I asked her, just as she was drawing in breath to make another point.
"Why don't you ask me what I said to him out there?"
She shut her mouth, caught off guard. "What?"
"Why don't you ever wait a second and see what I'm planning, or thinking, before you burst in with your opinions and ideas? You never even give me a chance."
"Yes, I do," she said indignantly.
"No," I said. "You don't. And then you wonder why I never tell you anyone or share anything with you. I can never trust you with anything or share anything with you. I can never trust you with anything, give you any piece of me without you grabbing it to keep for yourself."
"That's not true," she said slowly, but it was just now hitting her, I could see it. "Halley, you don't always know what's at stake, and I do."
"I will never learn," I said to her slowly, "until you let me."
And so we stood there in the kitchen, my mother and I, facing off over everything that had built up since June, when I was willing to hand myself over free and clear. Now I needed her to return it all to me, with the faith that I could make my own way.”
― Someone Like You
"I don't care what I have to do," she said, her voice low and even. "I don't care if I have to send you away or switch schools. I don't care if I have to follow you twenty-four hours a day, you will not see him, Halley. You will not destroy yourself this way."
"Why are you just assuming I'm going back to him?" I asked her, just as she was drawing in breath to make another point.
"Why don't you ask me what I said to him out there?"
She shut her mouth, caught off guard. "What?"
"Why don't you ever wait a second and see what I'm planning, or thinking, before you burst in with your opinions and ideas? You never even give me a chance."
"Yes, I do," she said indignantly.
"No," I said. "You don't. And then you wonder why I never tell you anyone or share anything with you. I can never trust you with anything or share anything with you. I can never trust you with anything, give you any piece of me without you grabbing it to keep for yourself."
"That's not true," she said slowly, but it was just now hitting her, I could see it. "Halley, you don't always know what's at stake, and I do."
"I will never learn," I said to her slowly, "until you let me."
And so we stood there in the kitchen, my mother and I, facing off over everything that had built up since June, when I was willing to hand myself over free and clear. Now I needed her to return it all to me, with the faith that I could make my own way.”
― Someone Like You

“I watched my mother do what she did best, and realized there would never be a way to cut myself from her entirely. No matter how strong or weak I was, she was a part of me, as crucial as my own heart. I would never be strong enough, in all my life, to do without her.”
― Someone Like You
― Someone Like You

“Don't be a fool. Don't give up something important to hold onto someone who can't even say they love you.”
― Someone Like You
― Someone Like You

“When I pictured myself, it was always like just an outline in a coloring book, with the inside not yet completed. All the standard features were there. but the colors, the zigzags and plaids, the bits and pieces that made up me, Halley, weren't yet in place. Scarlett's vibrant reds and golds helped some, but I was still waiting.”
― Someone Like You
― Someone Like You
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