Dawn

The sun wasn't up yet--

she liked to think that she was the only person in town awake at this time,

                      it was a secret to everyone else.

She had stayed up all night.

            Thinking about work the next morning--

            thinking about The Graduate--

            about how scary the dark is--

                          what it'd be like if things were different.

                              If he felt different.

                          If they both felt differently--

            about how much easier it would be to relax if she were in her own house and
      if she weren't sharing a bed.                                   

                                     but they just wanted to fall asleep next to someone.

                             

The sun wasn't up yet--

she gathered her things to leave.

She kissed him, wishing he would open his eyes and share this secret with her.
"I love you," she reminded him. 

She lies awake for quite some time.

            Long after he's gone and fallen asleep.

-rae