Today I Give Up Trying Novels & Stories

Daniel moved back to his hometown with his child, living off a small amount of child support from his ex-wife, posting self-pitying motivational quotes on social media every day. At one point, they even tried posting online to ask for help, hoping to gain sympathy. The title read: “Ruined by a Gen Z Intern, Middle-Aged and Unemployed—Begging Mr. Shaw for Forgiveness, Hoping to Return to That Dream Company.” In the post they tearfully confessed their mistakes, claiming they had only been confused for a moment and misled by Julian. They insisted they had always been grateful to me deep down. But the post quickly disappeared into obscurity.

No matter how hard I tried to mount in the mud of misery, no matter how I keep on standing whenever I tumbles down, everything seems to shatter so easily in the end. Is it so hard to aim for happiness in this world? God knows I tried to be brave and strong to keep on fighting the battles but no matter how hard I strive, I still keep on losing and ending up being broken. I was not mean and didn't have ill intentions toward anyone. I never aggravated nor stepped on someone else's shoes, so why is this all happening to me? It's so unfair and I was so damn tired. It's like I wanna give up and just let life whatever strike on me. Maybe I was really born unlucky or maybe this is all I could ever

I could drop dead any second. All I cared about was my dad's broken ring. I scooped up the black shards and tucked them into a velvet box. Didn't matter how I tried to fix it—some things just don't go back. *** Three months into treatment, Lorenzo still found me. Guess Elisa caved. Lorenzo looked wrecked—scruffy, red-eyed, all that cold mafia polish worn down to something raw. "Chiara..." he croaked from the doorway. I stayed leaning on the headboard, voice barely there. "The engagement's off. We're just history now. What do you want?"

He clearly wanted to broker peace, seeing two powerful people having a misunderstanding. “I was just keeping Maggie company,” Julian tried to make light conversation, seeing the intense tension between us. “You two have such... focus. The way you look at each other is really something. You almost seem to share the same behavior, just pointed in opposite directions.” Eddie dismissed him entirely, leaning past him to speak directly to me. “You should have checked your phone, Maggie. Don't waste people's time.” “It finished updating,” I countered, equally cold. Julian tried again, he was thinking it was because of him sitting there with her that caused this, attempting to steer the conversation

Mom opened her mouth to say something, but the tech team suddenly erupted in cheers. "We got it! It's all exported!" Mom froze in shock. Under everyone's gaze, a clear, soft voice rang out from the recording, yet it spoke the most poisonous words. "I'll give you three million dollars to abduct Matilda. That bitch Judith has plenty of money, so you should use Matilda to extort her first. Once you get the cash, you may only kill her after you've had your fun. That way, you'll get both the money and the pleasure. It's a good deal, no?

I nodded and agreed. On the last piece of paper, my handwriting was so messy that it was hardly legible. It was as if I'd used up the last of my strength to write it down. "The system told me I'd failed to win Quinn's heart. I have three days left, but that's fine. I can finally stop trying." Quinn's hands shook violently. The papers slipped from between his fingers and scattered all over the floor. It turned out I'd made 99 attempts. Every time, I started off filled with hope. And every time, he personally squashed out that hope.

“I know today was a disaster, and I know no matter what I do, it won’t fully make up for it. So give me tomorrow, and let me make that what today was supposed to be.” He looks at me and nods. I hate this. Hate that he doesn’t joke, doesn’t have some sarcastic remark ready. That’s how I know I fucked up badly. The other day, when things went to shit, he still had something to say. “I miss your sarcastic ass,” I mutter. “Yeah?” He looks at me, and I nod. “I’m just done, Kade. I’m fed up, and I give up.” That sits wrong with me. He gives up.

Then it hit me, I may not have the words, but I know who does. I looked at my mom and said, “I will apologize in advance for what I am about to do, but Dr. Lynn says talking to Nikki could help her to wake up and I have been talking to her, but I have run out of things to say…” Mom looked at me confused but just nodded in encouragement. So I took a deep breath and began singing our song; ‘Don’t Give Up On Me’ by Andy Grammer, “…I will stay, I will stay with you. We’ll make it through the other side, like lovers do. I’ll reach my hands out in the dark, and wait for yours to interlock, I’ll wait for you Cause I’m not giving up, I’m not giving up no not yet. Even when I’m down to my last breath

Each misguided day she spent stuck under her parents' thumbs, every mistake she's made in turn and how they've marred the rest of her remaining years, making for a miserable, bitter life she couldn't seem to sweeten up no matter how hard she tried. At what point was she supposed to stop trying? When was she supposed to give up? Maybe now was as good a time as ever, she decides. Maybe she should just be done with this - them - all of it. "Do... do you-" she hates the bitter taste of the words as they form on the tongue and even more so when she speaks them. "Do you think we should just... give up?"

I let the phone ring until it became silent. I thought about, Why do I even try? No one loves me, and no one will help me. I wish there was something I could do to change my life, but nothing can be done. I guess it is time for me to give up. I'm such a loser. No one likes me; my