He Said, She Said

"I love you, but I can’t stand the shape of your mouth. I didn’t know it was lopsided until you told me."

"It bothered me that I would’ve been lying to you if I hadn’t told you. It’s the only thing I think about."

"See, I didn’t see it that way, but now I do all the time. Whenever I kiss you it feels wrong."

"Now you know how I feel. It’s like I’m tasting the world sideways and it makes me feel off-kilter."

"I feel suffocated because of you. Let’s go to the supermarket."

"What do you need? You can tell me, I'll be going tomorrow anyway."

"Nothing you can get me. Freedom is nicking a banana that would’ve cost 89 cents."

"Then what would freedom not be? Paying for the banana?"

"No. It would be getting arrested over a banana."

"What else isn't freedom? If you were in jail, would I be your only call?"

"You. And no, I would call my mother."

"I have no idea why you’re so afraid yet so yearning of your mother. What am I that she isn’t?"

"First of all, you’re not Australian. Second of all, you don’t have black eyes."

"But nobody has black eyes. They’re dark brown, at best."

"She does. They suck in the light, the world."

"That sounds grim. Demonic, at worst."

"No. It’s a cave, a comfort."

"What is it when I comfort you, then? A passtime, a replacement?"

"Both, and neither. It’s different, and you wouldn’t understand."

"But I do understand. I just want to hear you say it in words, is all."

"But you don’t understand. If you did, you wouldn’t need to hear it."

"But I do. And maybe it's that I don't need to hear it, but want to."

"When you comfort me, it feels meaningless. The lack of meaning makes it comforting."

"What is comfort but a repeatedly met expectation? And when are we going to the supermarket?"

"You’re right. Let’s go in five minutes."

"Why not now? I’m starting to get hungry, and it’s dangerous to go grocery shopping when I’m ravenous."

"Can’t you wait five minutes? God."

"Can’t you give away five minutes? Jesus."

"Fine. It doesn’t matter to me, anyway."

"I’ll go get my purse. Give me five minutes."

"Fine. Wait-"

"Yes. What?"

"Nothing, nevermind. It doesn’t matter."

"It's not nothing. You always say that about the things that matter to you the most."

"You're right. But this time, it really is nothing."

"No, it isn't. Tell me what's on your mind."

"It was a passing thought. I've already forgotten it."

"Alright, I'll try to trust you. I have to pee, give me ten minutes."

"You're impossible. I can’t stand it, really."

"I love you, but I can’t stand that you can’t stand me. I didn’t know until you told me, and now I'll think about it all the time."

"I say what’s on my mind. Do you want me to lie to you?"

"No. But maybe silence would be kind."