Tragedy

   Gabriel’s tone was rich with that darkness again, it feasted upon him like death on a fresh corpse. He hated me. But it was with a passion and a determination that could conquer the world, that could rip me apart limb from limb until he was left with my heart, which he would he shatter as I did his. He would carry around the fragments, dangled around a necklace of bone, as a twisted symbol of his dark glory.

   I could feel the salty sting of tears on my tongue before I realized I was crying. They left frozen silver paths down my cheeks. “Is there no end to your cruelty?”

   “I’m cruel?” Another laugh. “Look in a mirror some time, honey.”

   “I cared about you, too, you know.”

   “I loved you.” There were those words a again, like a symphony. They were the gorgeous pieces of poetry reflected within the most beautiful of songs, the lyrics that made my heart race like it was trying to pound out of my chest. But he spoke them like a curse. “But did you even care? You wanted to keep our relationship a secret, you never even told your friends we were together. At first I thought you were embarrassed of me-”

   “Never,” I tried to tell him.

   “Then what?!” He shouted. “If you weren’t embarrassed, then what? Did you . . . did you ever even care?”

   “Of course I did!”

   “Then why?”

   “Because . . . because I’m not a good person, okay? Because I like to like to write stories. Because I like to use people as my characters and spin them the most horrible tale. Because I like tragedies. Because you’re my tragedy. Because you were easy to pummel. Because we all deserve to break.” The tears pooled into the corners of my lips. “Because, because, because. What else do you need to hear?”

   For a moment, there was nothing but silent. It rang in my ears, bouncing throughout my whole system and allowing my silent sobs to subside. And he remained quiet, no words entering me. It was peaceful, for a time, but it was horrible. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. It was orderly chaos.

   Finally, there was a prompt “fuck you” before the lie fell dead.

   I shouldn’t have expected anything less.

   I wiped the tears from my cheeks and placed the phone back in my pocket. I’m sure my appearance mimicked death, but I had no care for my looks. I was simply angry. Angry with the world.

   There was a knock on the window. I glanced over to see Olivia, balancing two coffee cups in her carefully manicured hands. Immediately, I noted the hint of a flush on her cheeks and the glimmering quality of her eyes. Something was wrong. Yet I said nothing as I unlocked the car and she sat down in her original seat, buckling in, and placing the drinks down. No words were passed between us. I couldn’t stop thinking about Gabriel.

   We started driving.

his lips are like sugar

the most addictive drug

that you don’t know is a poison

but i want more

i tangle myself in his arms

in his false safety

   “Stop,” Olivia commanded.

his kisses are frantic

his eyelashes are butterflies

their wings flutter against my cheeks

his skin is like velvet