Hibernation

I didn’t leave the house for days. A string of days. I didn’t answer the telephone, skipped school, asked him to call in sick for me at work. He tried to get me to eat, but my appetite was gone. I felt in a knot in my stomach, worrying that things were over between us. I was too fucked-up, afraid that the contract was broken. But he was gentle, lay with me, held me. Repeated again and again that he loved me so much and he wanted to watch over me. He begged me to keep the suicide attempt from my parents; he was afraid they’d try to keep us apart.