"I can’t do more than this. Don’t ask me. If you ask, I’ll tr..." — Understanding the Emotional Depth of Self-Protection in Relationships

I can’t do more than this. Don’t ask me. If you ask, I’ll try and I’ll fail. You’ll end up hating me. And I’d rather die . . . than have you hate me. Or disappoint you. My own darkness, it still chips away at me.