I watched them trail their fingers along my shelves, picking books up and setting them back down. Dust flew into the air with every movement and danced in the golden light. I wanted to preserve this image forever.

My mouth opened without permission. Silence echoed between us, and a distance that wasn’t there before opened. I could see thoughts fluttering through their mind and they slowly paced again 

It’s not the first time they’ve been in here, in my room The thought of it being the last, made my head cloud in fear. Drinks sat forgotten on the floor, sat to form a wet ring. 

The words blurted out in a moment of impulsivity hung in the air. With no way to take them back. I could feel chest expand with anticipation, because more than anything I couldn’t regret it.

Oh, how could I regret it when my chest felt lighter than it had in months. When the thoughts that had spun around in my head had finally slowed and stopped. 

With it came the numbness of resignation.

‘Will our coexistence finally end? Would they stop being around me after this? Will they ever smile at me again?’

But more than anything please don’t let me be a relic of the past