The familiar stench of recently sprayed deodorant angers my nostrils
Rowdy teenagers bustle through the hall
Freshmen struggle along, search for their next class.
Everything morphs all around
Everything but you
You stayed the same.
Your emerald eyes find me in the crowd
Hair gelled, spiked as always
You call my name, a perfect intonation,
A murmur, quiet and gentle.
Weren’t we finished?
We were feeble; a lost cause
Changed relationship statuses on Facebook
You may as well have written me a cheesy break up letter.
But now you stand there
A helpless, hopeful face
Lips, the merest shadow of a smile
You know I won’t pivot away from that.
But do you feel the same?
Do you love me like I love you?
Do you remember how it felt to be close to me?
I do, I remember.
How my Chapstick tingled your lips
How you held me tight, every opportunity
So close that I could hear the accelerated beating of your pulse.
After you left, your cologne lingered
Felt as if it meant forever
Even though it was only a fortnight.
But it was real
I knew it was.
Until you got scared
Started having doubts that I was worth it.
Vague small talk
The merest hint of distance
Gradually, the sparkler fizzled out.
Maybe you think that it is over
That the curtain has closed.
But I can be strong
I can enter the rink with nothing else
Prepared to give everything
To accept nothing
Just to have you.
If you will just believe that all we need is love
That all we need is each other.
Fight the demon telling you that it’s wrong,
Impossible.
Then we can have everything.
You and me,
Together.
I'm not untying these bonds
I'm not releasing you yet
This may be our last second chance.
I’ll make it count
If you will.