“You know, last weekend you accused me of using sex as an avoidance tactic. Yet here I am, trying to have a serious conversation with you, and what are you doing?” She had a point. “I’m sorry, and I promise to keep my hands to myself.” “It’s not that I don’t want you to touch [...]

“This is really awkward for you, isn’t it?” “A bit,” I admitted. “But I appreciate the gesture.” She nodded, thinking for a moment before speaking. “I’m not trying to replace him—I know I never could. I just want to be there for you the way he was. I don’t want you to feel alone–” “I [...]

Given the content of my dream, I was amazed I hadn’t dry humped her in my sleep. Shit, maybe I had. Panicked, I studied her face. She looked more confused than anything else; surely she’d be angry if I’d assaulted her. Still, she’d never seemed uncomfortable with my morning wood before. I tried to make [...]

It was unseasonably warm for April, and the late evening breeze was heavy and damp. She stopped for a moment behind my car, closing her eyes and turning her face to the starless sky. I watched her in silence, fascinated by the sight of her unabashedly enjoying the spring air. It was a rare, unguarded [...]

As I took the podium, I reminded myself that I could hold it together for the eulogy—that I could do this to honor the man who’d done everything for me. I took a deep breath and stared out into the sea of faces before me. Some were tear-stained and others stoic, but all were waiting [...]

I’m sick in bed and reading reviews, and I see one question coming up again and again. Why did you do it? The death of Carlisle (Whit in my head) was always in my outline. Though it does give Edward a sense of urgency, that had been brewing beneath the surface for a while by [...]

The oldest trees on Princeton’s campus are a pair of sycamores that were planted to commemorate the repeal of the Stamp Act in 1766. I know, I know. I could have used any deciduous trees to indicate the passing of time and the changing seasons. In fact, in early drafts I used elm trees, which [...]

I handled my laptop as if it would burn me, opening it ever so slowly, afraid of what I’d find. When I saw that Bella’s message did in fact exist, I was simultaneously relieved and enraged, but more than anything else, my mind screamed the same two questions over and over: Why? Even more importantly, [...]