Pressure

[2] Paige

Let’s go,

Dan tugs on your arm,

But you don’t budge.

You both stand in your room,

Deciding.

You already know you don’t want to go.

Your mom’s not home,

And you could never hurt her the way Dad did.

What about school?

You ask,

Trying to gain some leverage.

But Dan just laughs.

You don’t need it.

Now let’s go,

He tries to pull you again,

To get you to leave.

But as you stare down at your suitcase,

You wonder if you can.

You ask why both of you can’t stay here,

He tells you he got a new job,

And wants to be with you.

You already know you want to be with him,

But how could he tear you away from your home?

You tell him you don’t want to go.

I thought you loved me,

His eyes pierce through yours,

Wondering,

Watching,

Waiting.

You tell him you do,

But he doesn’t believe you.

If you loved me,

You’d come.

You tell him that you do,

And that if he loved you,

He would understand.

I don’t love you.

His words pierce your heart,

Burning,

Searing,

Eating,

Everything you have left.

But I will,

If you come.

You think,

Wonder,

Worry.

You wanted to be loved,

But it meant leaving your broken,

Tattered,

Depressed,

Mother.

Could you do that?

Could you leave her with nothing,

After your Dad left her with you?

You realize that you can.

She hasn’t said a word to you in months,

She hasn’t cooked you dinner since Dad’s death,

She hasn’t comforted you,

Like a parent should.

Why would you stay,

For a woman who doesn’t love you?

When you could leave,

For,

True,

Love?

You tell Dan you’ll go,

And he smiles knowingly.

He makes you carry your own suitcase,

All the way to his beat-up truck.

He doesn’t hold the door open for you,

Tell you where you’re going,

Or buckles you in.

You drive down the street,

Watching your house in the mirror.

It slowly fades,

Into,

Nothing.

You know there’s no turning back.

But when you look down at your feet,

To prevent tears from falling,

You notice something.

It’s ladies panties,

And it’s not yours.