̶ ̶ xi. LOVE SHOULDN'T HURT LIKE THIS.

i cup my ears with my hands, pressing them rather hard against my skull. you're gaining louder, calling me names that leave a dissatisfied taste in my mouth. your knuckles turn a porcelain white as your chipped nails dig half moons into your red, aching palms. i shut my eyes tight, frown lines digging deep around my facial features as i try to hold back the ocean raging inside of me. you force me to look at you, to see the red bleeding over your once soft hazel.

that night you took all our problems and folded them up into your fist; now when i look into the mirror, i can't forget how they all cut me so deep.