He says Helios must hate him,

the way he can never catch the sun.

He says the drowning hurts him

and kills all he’s ever learned.

He says he is the fire, the fuel,

and the one that burns.

He says I am the in-between,

the fire extinguisher that doesn’t

quite work,

the happiness endings bring,

and the guilt that quietly lurks.

He says I played him,

found his heart, then broke it

just for fun.

He says for a moment,

I brought fractured glimpses

of the sun,

and it was the best thing

he believes

he has ever seen.

I am the in-between.

The hate, the love,

the selfish cling.

I invented the quicksand

beneath his feet.

I invented heaven, hell,

and everything.

He doesn’t even love me,

but he loves that I am able

to love him.

He doesn’t even know me,

but he knows that I

know him