hopelessly devoted
so i’ll speak a tender lie
and tell you that i’m fine.
because if choosing everyone
but me
makes you happy,
then let’s do it.
let’s choose everyone else.
you pick them
and i’ll pick up the pieces of my
broken heart.
i’ll smile and nod and encourage you on—
you won’t bat an eye,
you won’t even notice i’m gone.
and i’ll watch
as these tears paint a tapestry
on my tired body,
as my lips become so used to these
lies
that the mirage they paint
barely looks different from reality.
and i’ll convince myself
i’m okay,
becoming smaller
while you grow.
because i am hopelessly devoted
to you in a way you will never know.
is this what family is?
is this what friends do?
as the music swells,
i realize this is the climax.
these characters need to make a choice
to love
or to leave behind.
maybe there’s love in that, too.
but for once, it’s choosing to love me
instead of giving it all to you.
Charlotte Costic is a freshman at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, VA. She is currently pursuing a degree in English, with minors in Leadership Studies and Social Justice & Civic Engagement. She plans to get her Masters degree in Secondary Education and become a high-school English teacher. This is the first time her work has been published. In her rare free time, Charlotte can be found spending time with her friends, rewatching her favorite shows, or working on her novel.
The Albion Review 