There was another thing I hadn't counted on. And that was falling in love, as fast and irrevocably as you would fall off a cliff, and realizing that loving someone might mean to simultaneously want to slug them and hold them and possibly have to watch them die.… I hadn't counted on that.
In this passage, the narrator reflects on an unexpected emotional experience of falling in love quickly and intensely, comparing it to falling off a cliff. The suddenness and depth of their feelings catch them by surprise, highlighting how unpredictable and overwhelming love can be.
They also acknowledge the complex and sometimes conflicting emotions that come with love, such as the desire to hurt or protect the loved one, and the fear of losing them. This reveals the intense vulnerability and emotional chaos that love can evoke, which the narrator hadn't anticipated.
