Firecracker (Part 3)

The Fire That Burned,

You won't need to beg me.

You won't need to push me away.

You won't even have to tell me to leave.

I'll do it on my own.

Because that's the only way I know how to protect myself—by walking away before you can truly break me. Before the pain becomes unbearable. Before I lose myself completely in the fire of loving you.

I will leave, not because I don't love you, but because I love you too much to stay and watch myself crumble.

But don't worry, I won't take the pain with me. I won't carry the weight of my jealousy, the small fights, the silent battles where I bit my tongue and smiled as if I wasn't hurting inside.

No, I'll leave those behind.

Instead, I will take the good memories.

The way your laughter felt like the warm glow of the sun after days of endless rain.

The way your voice softened when you called my name, like you were speaking to something fragile and precious.

The way you held my hand like you never wanted to let go.

Those are what I will hold on to.

They will stay with me, keeping me company in the quiet moments when I think of you. They will be the warmth I cling to when the cold of your absence tries to settle into my bones.

And if, someday, I see you again

I won't say anything.

I won't ask why you couldn't love me the way I needed to be loved.

I won't beg for answers or wonder what went wrong.

I will simply smile and whisper, thank you…

Thank you for giving me something worth remembering.

Because right now, in this moment, I still love you.

Not enough to stay with you, but enough to love myself more.

Because the fire that burned, the burn that lasted long enough for a volcano…

Brought me a firecracker.