If I Stay (Week 18)

I love the ending of this book. It's just perfect.

After two days of exploration, trying to understand how to "stay" if she even had the choice to, all she really needed was her  boyfriend. In his presence, she could feel again... She could finally feel like herself, all the aches and pains from the terrible car accident.

What happened was her boyfriend Adam came and tried ridiculously hard to see her, and once he finally received the opportunity, he cried deeply. This was something that Mia had never witnessed before, as she mentioned on several occasions. It broke her heart to see him in such deep pain. And just like any boyfriend should, he exposed her to the love of her life: cello music. Mia is a serious cello player and is great at what she does, so when Adam put the headphones in her ears and played Yo-Yo Ma, she beamed internally. It was really what she needed. And just like that, Mia felt her spirit reenter her tangible body and could physically hear Adam as he spoke to her. He took her hand and with every ounce of strength she had, she squeezed his.

I know a lot of people aren't a fan of sappy romance stories with cliché endings, but I love all types of stories. That ending made me smile because it allowed my inner typical teenaged girl to come out haha. However, I do personally prefer more realistic stories. As much as meeting the boy of your dreams in your biology class in 10th grade and him falling for you several months after is an entertaining thought, I feel like it sets up unrealistic expectations for these girls in elementary and middle school. I must tell you... After all those Sarah Dessen books, I was deeply saddened and annoyed about how UNACTIVE my social and romantic life in high school was (and still is) in freshman year. Let's be real, folks... That one guy in your science class (why is it always science??) that doesn't even know your name is not going to spontaneously notice you and fall for you. High school isn't all its cracked up to be. Don't get your hopes up.