Taylor stared at the packet for a moment longer before picking up her pen. On the lines provided, she wrote carefully: I like reading, music, old movies, and quiet conversation. I’m not great at talking about myself at first, but I’m trying to get better at it. She paused, then added: I’d prefer someone honest, kind, and easygoing.
That felt humiliatingly sincere, so she nearly crossed it out. But before she could, Cheryl chirped that they had fifteen minutes left and Taylor forced herself to keep going.
Under What are you hoping to gain from this experience?¸ she wrote:
A distraction. Then, after a moment: Maybe perspective.
When they were dismissed, Denise fell into step beside her in the hallway. “You put ‘likes long walks on the beach’?” she asked.
Taylor gave her a sidelong look.
