As much as I'd love to take all the credit for this book, there are a lot of people who had a hand in making this dream come to life.

To Shane Dawson: Thank you for pushing me to stop putting this off and just start writing. You inspire and encourage me in so many ways. Mostly, thank you for putting me in touch with a great publishing team with a glowing recommendation. Real friends lie for each other.

To Jhanteigh Kupihea: Thank you for dealing with anxiety, my unbearable pickiness, and my four-in-a-row-ten-word emails that I could have easily sent in one. Also, for constantly [trying to] calm my neuroticism. You are my editor and my therapist. You are my Edapist. Oh, and thanks for never making me say your last name out loud.

To Judith Curr: Thank you for believing in my vision, like, literally immediately. It was a hell of a lot faster than I did.

To Ariele Friedman: Thank you for doing publicist-y things that somehow tricked people into thinking I was somebody important-ish.

To my siblings: Cherisa, Monica, Cecilia, Genevieve, Madelynn, and Sammy. Thank you for being my siblings. I love you and stuff.

To everyone who I relentlessly sent slews of poems and drawings to over the past few months begging for opinions, encouragement, and validation. Thank you and I'm sorry.

To all of my supporters and followers: Thank you for standing by me through the years. You were there when I was sad-tweeting limericks at 5 a.m. and telling me to write a poetry book. You were the ones that were buying and supporting before it even came out. You are the reason for not only this book, but my entire existence. I am so overwhelmed with your love and I return it eleven-fold.

And lastly: To everyone who tore my heart out. I owe you one.