the thing is, it’s really fucking stupid. a body saying yes before the mouth does. but you, you keep dressing it up in rehearsals and maybe laters, spelling the l-word in lowercase like that makes it safer.

you text like god is grading you. you kiss like confession. you say, “let’s be clear,” but you mean, “let’s survive this.”

still the hands remember. still the mouth remembers. still the wanting never asked for clarity.

so don’t write it. don’t redraft. don’t tuck it between quotation marks like that makes it any less real.

just say it. mean it. you stupid, stupid boy. you love her. you fucking loved her.

that's the story. no metaphors upon metaphors upon metaphors. nor subversions, nor winks-and-nudges.

but you, Stupid, from now on--

keep it simple, seriously.

kiss.