I see an old friend

And I want to hug her tight

But I don’t.

Because I’m scared that

She might see me breaking down,

Or she might find the emptiness in my voice and

The loneliness that has crept in for days,

She might feel all of it.

I’m scared that when they ask me how are you doing,

And if I reply, “I’m not really fine.”

They might get to know everything about me,

About how vulnerable I get at night

About how I spent my night sitting on the white marble floor doing absolutely nothing,

Or how I hug my little pillow and sleep

And I hug it so very tight, as if I don’t wanna lose it

Because I feel there is no person I can hug this tight

So, I try to seek the warmth in the soft cushions

made with the best fabrics.

Because

Deep within I feel,

Loneliness has not just crept in

It has made a place in my heart, just like home.