Playlist: Depressed

Song 26: She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5

Broken

She comes to him every time stiff, unyielding, sharp, and aloof. She is glass and ice, and rusted nails and jagged metal edges. She comes to him with marble eyes that slide away from his, razors for cheekbones, and poison for lipstick. She is cold and distant, cutting and caustic. She slashes at him with words and slices at herself with self-deprecating laughs. She knocks on his door and dares him not to answer, she stalks in on shoes that could kill. She won’t let him touch her, leaning against the counter, arms, crossed, head tilted.

He waits. He waits and watches and at the right moment he shatters her with a kind word, a soft touch, or an unasked kindness. She breaks beautifully and ugly and he picks up the pieces and carries them to the bedroom or the living room. He lays them down and carefully puts her back together. When she finally falls asleep, he stays awake next to her, stroking her hair and wishing he could protect her every day, but all she wants is a sanctuary, temporary shelter and he’ll give it until she wakes up one day with a steel edge that isn’t pointed at herself and lets him love her.