Heartbeats in Hiding

Sometimes I pretend to look away,

but really,

my eyes are busy memorizing the way you laugh.

You’re the reason my coffee tastes sweeter,

even when I forget the sugar.

I practice “hello” in my head

a hundred times a day,

but when you walk by,

my words play hide and seek

behind my smile.

If you ever catch me staring,

just know—

I’m not lost,

I’m just caught in the gravity

of your orbit.

Maybe you’ll never know

how much you light up my ordinary days.

But for now,

I’ll keep my secret safe—

tucked between heartbeats

and the hope

that one day,

you’ll notice me, too.