She looked down at the floor while

salty tears stung her eyes.

they felt like hot betrayal against her cool demeanor and apart of her

fell away.

He stood there awestruck that she had let him see all

that she had held back.

that it flowed out of her completely; melted her.

he reached out to hold her; to carry a piece of her pain,

to wipe the sweet droplets from her soft cheek.

but like the wind, she wished to be untethered, to be free

and before he could touch her punished skin,

she was gone.