The look in her eyes should tell him- she doesn’t need him anymore. She would rather not see him. He can’t know it, but he has broken her, and she needs to be alone to heal.

“Hey.” He nods at her, hesitant. She nods back, acting distracted.

“Hey.”

“You’re… alright?” He regrets the way he did it now, but it’s already too late. She looks past him, at someone else behind him.

“I’m fine.” No thanks to you.

“Okay… I…” He can’t say it, he’s afraid of her. She pats him on the shoulder and walks away. There’s no respect left for him, only her cold, bitter love. And perhaps what’s left of that will soon fade. Only time will tell.

Her friends talk of their lovers, and how wonderful it is. She nods and smiles, but she does not trust it. She will not trust him next time, she vows. She will not be pulled in. Boys lie. Girls lie too. Don’t trust your heart to them, only to yourself.

But at night, when she lies in bed alone, she can still feel his arms around her. She can still hear his voice in her ear, telling her everything she ever wanted to hear. She could feel the memory of that happiness, that brief period without doubt and pain, where it was just she and he in all the world.

“You won’t leave me?” he whispered against her hair.

“Never.” Their skin was pressed together.

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

She never asked the same of him. It wouldn’t have mattered if she did. Boys lie. Boys break promises. Everyone breaks trust. Don’t rely on anyone.

“You’ve broken my heart.” She’s whispering to the wind, letting her words blow away like so many drifts of snow. “My innocence.” Her arms wrap around herself and she closes her eyes. “Don’t touch me. Don’t ever…”

Don’t hurt me. Don’t ever hurt me again.