you're spreading vicious rumours about people! she says.
the door reverberates with the rage, the insult. swift is the reaction, easy to come.
insulted, hurt, untrusted, hateful. later the wound is forgotten by the inflicter, the inflicted puts it back.
respect is rebuilt, trust still damaged. the air clears heads, removes anger, hatred, rage.
one cycle later, all is forgotten, both as normal. but all is not as it seems, one party is damaged.
the movement is swift, the outsider remains distant. then feelings return, those which he tried to spurn.
the unwanted come back, to haunt him. no, he resists, but it is pointless.
the feeling has returned, he is unable to fight it. the boxer made of smoke, impervious to punches.
common sense screams it's warning, but is ignored.
don't get to close, he says, not again, not the same.
he is unable, he is drawn. his heart says one thing, his mind refuses. he must surrender.
his surrender preserves him, he feels it, he must surrender. to deny would be to destroy.
surrender, save yourself, surender.

dedicated to jodi