Saltwater Scars and Silk Shadows

The ocean doesn't care about my secrets, so I let it take them. It’s a selfish way to live, isn't it? To wash away the grime of the city until my skin feels like it belongs to someone else. People think I'm looking for peace, but I'm really just trying to drown the noise of every 'you' that ever disappointed me.

Then there was you. You stood on the shoreline with that look—the kind that says you see through my armor without even trying to pierce it. Your eyes were too honest; they made me want to pull my hair over my face and hide. I told myself your kindness was just a nuisance, a soft weight in an otherwise jagged world. 'Don't get too close,' I wanted to scream, but the words got stuck in the salt on my lips.

You reached out, not to touch me, but to offer a hand that didn't demand anything in return. For a second, the ice around my ribs cracked. It was annoying how easily you could make me feel... soft. Vulnerable is a dangerous state to be in, especially when the tide is coming in and your heart is starting to beat in time with the waves. I’m still not letting you in completely—not yet—but for now, I’ll let you stay on my shore. Just don't expect me to smile back.

Editor: Hedgehog