I didn't always like you
Romantically, I mean
But one day I noticed you
I mean, really and truly noticed you
The way you smiled
The way you laughed
The way you spoke
The way you listened
And I found myself standing there
With butterflies in my stomach and heart
But I was frightened and ashamed of the way I felt
I thought it was unrealistic to hope for anything to happen
So I tucked them away
Under "Feelings that won't ever come to light"
And I contented myself with being your friend
Because I didn't want to lose you
I was happy
For a while, anyway
Every so often those feelings would surface
And I'd sort of vaguely distance myself for a bit
Once they were under control again,
I'd act as if nothing had happened and go back to "normal."
But eventually those feelings started clawing at me
Tearing me apart and stressing me to my breaking point
So I wrote about those feelings
Calling you my "close friend"
But then I wrote about them again
Calling you my "somebody who I like"
And you noticed the second time and I
I felt my stomach twist
I worried that you would be disgusted
Having your friend turn out to have romantic feelings for you
So I went with the other person I "liked"
Who I ended up feeling platonic about (and so did she)
But then I wrote again, with you nagging at my mind
About letting anyone tell me that they liked me
And you replied and,
And I've never been happier.