Into the Dark

by Dana Isaly

I’m the girl you see bringing a book with her to social events because I would rather be reading, and because I need something to distract myself from my social anxiety.

“Because if you’re going to love me, I need you to love me with every single fiber of your being,” My head swivels and looks back on her. “I want someone’s full and unyielding attention. I want someone to look at me and only me. That way I know that person will never leave me.” “That’s not love, Lyra. That’s an obsession. Love is forgiving and always evolving. There’s room to grow and change where there’s love. But with obsession, it can only go one way. Obsession will consume you in a way that you can’t come back from.” “Then I want obsession.”

“I just need to find someone that will obsess over me the way I obsess over them.”

“I am obsessed with you.”

But what they don’t understand is that inside this man, there’s a deeply abused child that just wants someone to see him and accept him. I’m that person. I’m his person. I will give him whatever it is he needs from me to survive.

“I can’t give you love, Lyra. But I can give you myself. You can have all of me. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t belong to myself anymore. I belong to you.”

“I don’t want love, Elijah,” she says as she breaks the kiss. “I’ve never wanted to be someone’s love of their life. I was never that girl that dreamed of a big white dress and declarations of undying adoration.” She kisses me again, her lips so unbelievably soft against my own. “Love fades. But what you and I can give each other? It won’t die until we do. Which is perfect, because if you aren’t here, I don’t want to exist. I can’t. You’re my everything. You have all of me, and I have all of you. That’s all we need.”