Too Young for "I Love You" - November 7, 2010
The night had stretched, pressing against the day. Tossed aside no longer needed she lay weak and lifeless on the floor, a coiled mess of waste crying for his return. Hands trembling with anger, clenched tight around her knees, knuckles white, corpse-like, she desperately grasped at those few last words, the words she thought to be a promise of his devotion.
-Troy Robertson-Burns
“I love you,” he'd whispered, holding her close to him. His sweat felt cold, and still so temptingly warm, against her skin. Drawing her close, he enveloping her in his warmth and leading her out into the world she’d never known. He stole her voice, made her deaf, dumb, and mute, and then showed her that she didn't need them, that she could say more, so much more, without them. Showed her that she could sing with her hands and whisper with her skin. That the feelings could fill the air with fire and steal away the cold if only she would let them.
“I love you,” the air echoed as he moved, a black silhouette framed by the now closing door. “Baby, please, please don't go” she called through the darkness, hollow words left hanging, pleading with the empty air. His false words of love rang through her head. He'd played with love and she'd lapped up his lies.
He’d been a mistake, she’d been a mistake, a chance encounter turned all wrong. Weak, innocent, stupid and full of hope, of expectation. He’d pulled her from the darkness, no more than a little girl. He’d promised to make her more than that, promised her the world in exchange for only thing that she had had to give – her heart. And he’d delivered, delivered it with all the faults and failings, pain, suffering, and every last bit of the bitter harshness of reality to be piled in around her. She’d been stupid, young… too young.
The days stretched ahead pressing the nights away. Fragile shafts of light glistened through the curtains. Tilting her head she let the loveless light and shadows dance across her tear blotched face. “I hate you,” silently escaped her lips. His words of promise were useless void of value. She was too young to hear those words, understand the meaning. She shook her head, blinking she whipped away the last of the pointless tears trickling down her cheeks. She didn't care anymore because they were just words, hateful, wonderful, meaningless words.