love is a mystery as old as time , too multifaceted with different shades of meaning to ever become definable . the matters of the heart has shattered cities and people alike , yet the general consensus remains . . . love is as tantalizing as it is painful . vivian never quite fell in love when she was in high school , but after meeting michael , she came as close to it as icarus did the sun . even after a decade , a piece of him was still lodged in the valves of her heart . if one day vivian's heart burst open , she was sure michael's love would fall out in tiny pieces of plastic , clattering with the chime of boyish charm and falsity . michael and vivian were as close as friends could get , save for the sparse hiccups in between — but they were friends nonetheless . vivian's mistake was not understanding being loved and being used looks exactly the same in the mirror . the love that michael had for her was just as conditional as the love she received from her parents , and it was only until years later that she began to notice the resemblance . despite it all , vivian still felt tenderness for him . . . because sealed in the cellophane was a boy who needed love just as much as she did . and for that , vivian could never blame him . the heart of her evening walk musings materialized as though a stroke of luck commanded it . it only took her four steps in the opposite direction to realize those features belonged to none other than michael geary . all she could do was pause and turn in surprise , dark eyes tantalized by the sight of his back , perfect for walking away . " you dropped your wallet . " vivian called out suddenly , hesitant , not knowing exactly why she opted to lie . . . but knowing just enough to not take another step toward him . " can i have it ? "
for . . . @michaelgeary
