The Exception

"Girls are taught a lot of stuff growing up: If a guy punches you, he likes you. Never try to trim your own bangs. And, someday you will meet a wonderful guy and get your very own happy ending. Every movie we see, every story we're told, implores us to wait for it...the third act twist, the unexpected declaration of love, the exception to the rule.

But sometimes we're so focused on finding our happy ending, we don't learn how to read the signs. How to tell the ones who want us from the ones who don't, the ones who'll stay and the ones who'll leave.

And maybe this happy ending doesn't include a wonderful guy. Maybe it's you, on your own, picking up the pieces and starting over. Freeing yourself up for something better in the future. Maybe the happy ending is just moving on.

Or maybe the happy ending is this: Knowing that through all the unreturned phone calls and broken hearts, through all the blunders and misread signals, through all the pain and embarrassment...you never, ever, gave up hope."

- Gigi, He's Just Not That Into You