eye-catching confessions of love
and public displays of affection
can never disappoint—

to be loved
so loudly,
so proudly,
that someone would go to any length
to prove it to the world—
it’s beautiful.
it’s enviable.

but more than anything,
i want him
to love me in private.

i want his love
when no one is watching—
not dressed up for an audience,
not rehearsed
or filtered
for effect.

i want him to love me
quietly,
deeply,
truly—
because that’s what lives
in his chest,
not just what he wants
the world to see.

i want him
to remember the little things—
what makes me laugh,
what softens me,
what pulls me back
when i’m fading.

i want the private moments
to matter more
than any grand gesture.
i want silence
that feels like safety,
eye contact
that says i know you,
not i want to be seen loving you.

i don’t need an audience
for love.
i don’t need people to know
how deeply i feel.

My knowing
is enough.
his knowing
should be enough.

because a quiet love,
a private love—
that’s the kind
that stays.