Page 137 of The Devil We Know

Fortunate enough to never have

Had loss touch them or

Even worse, those who feel they

beat it, they fought grief and despair

And came out the victor, as if any amount

Of time will erase the impact they still have

On your everyday existence

Past, present and future

And so, you continue to dig deep

To let go, to embrace that searing agony

You fear will force you into a purgatory

Of despair, so you say enough’s enough,

And you take my fucking hand

As you scream into the dark…

I miss you

Come back

Declan stares at me, all the love and light shining in his eyes, and the tears I’ve been holding back for the entire night immediately overflow. I don’t bother trying to hide them or wipe them away, I allow them to coast down my cheeks, a cleansing balm meant to ease the soul one teardrop at a time.

He leans over, grasping my cheeks between his hands and pressing his lips to mine, not bothering with subtle or finesse. He opens his mouth, his tongue swiping against my lips, demanding entrance. I give in freely, meeting his lips, teeth, and tongue urgently, needing to convey the sheer depth of my emotion where words will now fail me.

And then, just as quickly as he was there, he’s gone.

Straightening on his stool, his hand gripping mine tightly, he leans into his mic, his voice soaring over the stadium, pure and guttural.

All these fucked-up emotions

Fire and ice in my veins

When at the end of the day

Everything I have to say

Comes down to

The simplest of sentiments…

I miss you

Come back

I miss you

Come back

---