broken bikes

of lovers

he promised we would run away one day,

to a place where there was no hate and ignorance and judgment

where no one cared who we were,

or what we believed in,

or who we loved

but i stare at him now,

at the hollow eyes that used to gleam,

at the drooping frown that seems to weigh down his mouth,

at the way his shoulders seem to sag,

and i know what is coming next

he avoids my face when he tells me,

that his father knows about us,

knows that we are together,

knows that his son is with another boy,

knows that we are in love

his words are empty as he whispers,

barely loud enough for me to understand them,

but with every murmured excuse,

i feel another hole form in my heart,

it is shattering

he tries to kiss me one last time,

a fleeting kiss that i know he does not mean,

something that he thinks will fix things,

but i don't let him

i am too broken to accept his pity

there are no tears on his face,

not a single trace of apology,

he offers me a grin, something in lieu of reassurance

but i don't look at him

he is too calm to be heartbroken

he promised we would run away one day,

to a place with no hate and ignorance and judgment

but i watch his back as he leaves me there,

my vision blurring as tears begin to fall,

and i realize that he is the one running away