**[ decided to write a poem instead ]**

He was the polar opposite in every way,

But for some reason she was the only

thing able to brighten his day,

He wondered why, because he didn’t

believe in love the way others had,

But he questioned himself with every

secret told only to her, about why he

was always mad,

She cried for him, but he hadn’t asked

her, that, to do,

When he told her to shed no tears, she

responded with: “I had no clue what

you were going through,”

His heart did a little flip, and his

expression softened for a moment,

But he couldn’t allow his facade to

drop, for it was his protection

and where would he be without it?

He hardened himself more toward her,

and she asked him why,

“Have I don’t something?” she would

ask, where as he would think “_hide, _

_hide, deny_,”

Hide. Hide because you deserve

loneliness,

Hide behind your dark mask,

show mercy less,

Hide from happiness because it

never works out,

Hide, fist your hands, but never

break, never pout,

But the more he ignored her, the

more he found himself breaking,

This feeling was unlike any other, and

with every hurt look she gave him,

he found his world shaking,

Breaking until one day it shattered,

when he received a shocking call

that she had been going through the

same thing,

That’s why she cared so much about

his cruel life—because she lived the

same story,

And yet, instead of telling him, she

said nothing, and, toward him

showed worry,

He walked through the door,

preparing himself for the worst,

Once he met her face, scarred and

bruised as she lay on the bed, all

he could do was curse,

He walked to her side and took hold

of her hand,

He held it with a kind of gentleness

and comfort that only someone in

love can,

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, and it was

there his mask broke,

Her eyes opened and her hand squeezed

his back, and she she smiled, but

nothing, she spoke,

The news came that she wouldn’t

pull through,

The last happiness he had rejected

was about to be gone, if only he

had never refused,

With one final motion, she brought

her hand to her heart, and touched his

cheek,

It was all she was able, for she was

so very weak,

It was ironic, seeing her so miserable;

she always wore a bright smile,

The comparison to this girl and the

other was wild,

This was it, this was his last chance

to set things right,

He bent down, his lips close to hers,

his hand holding hers tight,

When he pressed them against hers,

it was both a relief and a curse,

It was knowing this was the last, that

she would never be his, nor him, hers,

With the last of her ability, she

smiled once he finally pulled away,

tears in his eyes,

The last words she mouthed to him,

were “I love you. Goodbye.”

He would’ve cried there, if it weren’t

for the shock,

Next came the funeral. He stayed

after, just to stare at her rock,

If only he had been there for her,

maybe he could’ve prevented it,

She was hurting so badly, more

than him,

He would never forgive. The

world taking her away was its

biggest sin,

Now all he held tightly to, were

the “what if’s,”

That, and her favorite treasure,

the one he stole from her, first

grade, in kindergarten,

—Her precious, gold heir pin…