I never begged for anyone to stay—
not once, not in silence, not in stray
glances that lingered longer than pride
would ever let me justify.

But that night,
the stars felt too loud
and the world too hollow.

Every inch of me—
bone, breath, memory—
itched like a wound that knew
its healer was walking away.
Even the atoms trembled,
each particle aching
to betray my mouth
and scream
“Please…”