Boundaries

Foreshadowing the conversation

He asked me about my last relationship

"I broke up with my ex in May last year."

"So that was recent?"

*

"Yeah, it was easy."

"What do you mean?"

*

"He was a coke dealer."

"It was easy to let him go."

it was only hard when he wouldn't leave me alone."

*

"He had me fooled at first, a real sweet talker."

"Roped me in with spirituality and conscious conversation,

but it was all a beautiful facade."

"I fell into a false love, and stayed too long."

*

"He never deserved my love."

"He didn't treat me right. Broke my trust early on."

"The most he could offer me was sex, drugs, and sweet lies."

"An addiction to a feeling."

"It was easy to leave

when I remembered I didn't need him."

*

Our conversation drifted for a minute

to something different

*

Looking at the time ticking

I said goodbye to him for the year

He leaned in and tried to kiss me

I stopped him calmly

*

With ease in my voice I said,

"You know that part of our relationship is over."

"Remember what I said last time?"

"I meant every word."

*

He raised his voice in distaste

in his last desperation

to sit me down for a chat

as I walked away

"It hurts when you say all these things."

*

I let him blabber on

for 10 minutes

Spewing meaningless bullshit

in an attempt to win me back

*

Listening to his lies out of curiosity

Waiting for the silence to ring clear

*

With soft eyes I spoke,

"I'm sorry if the words I said hurt you

but I meant every word."

*

"The difference between you and I

is that to get what you want

you tell me all the things you think I want to hear

when I say everything I really feel."

"Telling you all the things you need to hear

just to keep it real."

*

Anxiety beating through his skull

draining out his throat

he snapped,

"Can we talk about this later?"

*

"This isn't a debate."

"I made up my mind."

"We can talk later to clear up confusion,

but I have to go now."

*

He opened his mouth

with his rebuttal

*

I stopped him as soon as he started

"This isn't an argument."

"These are my boundaries."

"We're done here."

"Is that clear?"