you're sitting across from me
after months of not speaking
you called and said something about how
we don't have to be strangers

i answered on the third ring
just like i always used to do
and agreed to meet you

we decided to get coffee
to warm our bodies
from the november air
although mine is cold
by the time i even think to take a sip

"there's someone i want you to meet, you know"
it's strange
because when you said it
i didn't feel jealousy
i felt anger
i wanted to know
"why?"
you grabbed my hand
"you're still important to me,
i want you
to meet her"

i knew what you were doing
and so i let you
for a few minutes more

and then i thought about how
you've never even heard my voicemail
because i always answered
on the third ring
and how
i doubt she even answers at all
and that
was enough for me

you wanted me to meet her
to compare
and if i did
you'd see that you're never
going to find anyone like me
ever again

i let go of your hand
look into your sea green eyes
that i used to dream about

my voice is suddenly clear as day
"we don't have to be strangers,
but maybe we should be."

i was freezing, but i didnt mind
the windows were down
i couldn’t hear him
“what?”
we were southbound
“when we hit the parkway
we are rolling the windows down and
singing along to Don’t Stop Believing”
how romantic
cinematic
he called out to the winds and said
these are the nights we are meant to live
and i believed him.
don’t stop.
god he looked so beautiful in the street
lights. i giggled as he sang
and hoped to whatever universal power that brought
us together that
this moment would last.
he’d look at me,
i knew he was looking at me
but i didn’t look. i couldn’t
look
the parkway was empty. like we were on another
plane of existence.
alternate reality.
it felt too real.
i was shivering, holding on to his strong
arm, his hand on my thigh slowly creeping
up.
“i like the way you hold my arm, it’s nice.”
he said
i was holding on a little too tight.