People put on faces and I’ve learned to put on mine. The mask to conceal my true self.

I expected you to have one on, but I was wrong, just like the many other things that I was wrong about with you.

You had this rawness. The strength of your accent, the way you opened up yourself to others.

It made me want to protect you.

It made me want to be stronger.

The way you snorted when you laughed, the way you jumped about whenever you were excited. The way you shared your vivid imagination. These things that were you, which took my breath away.

I had no other choice but to take my mask off and show my true self.