“i have something to tell you”
she whispered
i looked at her and could tell
exactly what was on her mind
her words were written all over her
like a third grade chalkboard
etched with multiplication tables
her eyes were glossy
and the only bit of color in her face
was within her cheeks
she looked as if her lunch was about to come
right up into her lap
her fingers were writhing
her eyes were roaming around the room
  holding the worry that consumed her
she told me that she had never in her life
been so in love with someone
and that she was afraid

not afraid of me hurting her
   but afraid of her hurting
because if there was nothing
in life that she gathered
the lesson would still remain that
she would always
get hurt
she would always cry
she would always break
eventually
i gently took my hand
to the side of her rosy cheek
and croaked,
with what seemed like cotton in my throat
and liquid coals in my eyes,
“i know”

she looked into my eyes
and i into hers
in the way that only lovers do
and with our lips pressed together,
her hand passionately grabbing
the back of my head, gathering
  fistfuls of my hair as if it were anchoring
  her to the harbor of clarity and understanding,
with my hands gripping her hips
  as if to steal her away from the
atmosphere for a minute,
we sealed our fate
  as libidinous lovers
   (but also ingenuous best friends)

*k.n