Cherished between us

He stands to leave, His voice a whisper Telling me to follow. We find a space And he starts, Claiming surprise. He starts off straightforward, almost angry. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ My response comes clean, ‘I don’t know.’ (But I do.) He tells me how he felt, The multiple types of ways He mentioned before. Good and bad. Boyfriend is not a term He would apply to himself. He’s good the first three months, But then there’s expectations. Leading is not his expertise, He’s more subtle, In the background. He can’t be the one calling shots. He’s better as a friend, he’s my bruh. Or so he checks if we still are. This is how he sees himself. And he goes on to me. I’m single for the first time In five years. I don’t have the experience To know what I want. I should be single longer, Learn what I’d like. I can take initiative, He tells me, Like the day in the room Where he asked if There was something I want to do. I should learn what I want, Instead of following others. Say what I like, And state my distaste. Five years With a terrible guy, A week and something, Just with him. He wished to show me That there’s more than what I got. The potential there could be; That there’s more out there. He felt bad, After reading them Because he lead me on, Or that’s how he felt. What felt good Was the energy Shared between us When we kissed. It reminded him of times he could find that, But it’s been long And until me, There was so much negativity Within the hookups, He forgot what warmth felt like. It felt like... And he hesitates. Because hope is not the word, But it gave him that For future involvements. I admit I never told him, Because I knew It would change things. He’s my friend, Which I cherish And I didn’t want To lose that. We have a fun vibe He admits it again, But more as friends, Because relationship might ruin that. He didn’t lead me on, I emphasize this again. It was my choice, And I never expected My feelings reciprocated. Confessing was not Me waiting for a date, A boyfriend, A something. I just felt like telling him, No expectations. He doesn’t regret it And neither do I. We’re okay, is what he asks And I’m sure that we are. We’re friends, And going into something with him Would mean potentially losing it. Everyone told me That I should confess, Which I finally did. I expect further questions, Comments, and so. The conversation we had Was a good way to end The lingering of those moments Cherished between us.