The broken girl looked up at me
and said
“Don’t hurt me. That’s all I ask.”
And I nodded
telling her I would treat her well
and it would all work out.

Even as I said such things
I knew full well
it would all go to shit
and the broken girl
damaged, deficient
and nearly divine
would be driven even further
down a dark path
under my care.

We weren’t good for each other
you see
and our future was clear to me
immediately.
She was not so perceptive
or as pessimistic
and thought
our pairing
would work well together.
Or maybe
she just needed
something to hold onto.

“Hold me…?” She asked.
I did
for a while.
It ended.
It always does.