"You used to tell me you loved me."

I say nothing. Do nothing.

"Did you ever mean it?" The emotion in Ayla's voice does nothing to me. There was a time when it would set my heart on fire.

"Once, yes. I loved you once, but only once."

I expected to see tears welling in Ayla's eyes, but instead her teeth clenched.

"I never believed you, anyway."

"Don't lie," I shake my head. "I may not love you, but I can still read you like a book."

Who does this woman believe she is? I know every detail about every version of herself she has ever been.

Still, no tears well within her eyes. Instead, hate - or is that disgust? - flickers over her face.

"If that's the case, I'd like you to do something for me."

"What might that be?"

"Burn me to ashes," her voice is rising now, the emotion hanging in the air between us. "You've already poured ink over all my pages. I've become indecipherable. Just burn me. Burn me until there's nothing left of me you recognize."

I say nothing. Do nothing.

"Go on!" Ayla's hand raises and I can tell she aims to hurt me. I back away in time to miss her swing, which infuriates her all the more. As she raises her hand once more, I grip her wrist and twist, knocking her to her feet.

"I can't burn what's already on fire." I say as I step over her body.