He stared at me,

waiting for me to say

that I did not love him.

I looked past him,

fighting the urge to

burst into laughter

at the insanity of it.

He saw the corners

of my lips twitch and

clenched his fists;

mouth forming the word

“Goddamn.”

I left the room

walked out into the cold,

the still air;

brisk and biting.

He didn't come after me.

So, I walked and walked,

and he looked on until

I was nothing more than shadow.