ALL MINE

Friday night, our usual bar, the whole group of friends together. Getting ready for tonight, I ended up redoing my red lipstick three times in front of the mirror. In my favorite dress, the daring one, I take the seat across from you. I've felt the heat of your stare since the moment I walked in, but I won't meet your eyes. Not yet, and that's on purpose. I take my time stirring the ice in my glass, teasing you for all I'm worth. You want to touch me, don't you? Not so fast. Just a little longer. Catching a glimpse of your impatient face out of the corner of my eye is enough to make my heart flutter.

But then someone appears out of nowhere, leans in close, and starts whispering something in your ear. And just like that, you smile. The special smile I was so sure you saved only for me. Something in my heart cracks with a sharp little snap, like the ice in my glass, and the music in the bar drifts far away. The whole time they're whispering to you, I keep my face perfectly calm in front of my friends, but in my head I'm counting every second. Forty-two.

Before I knew it, I'd quietly found out everything about them: their name, their drink, their favorite song. Me, not the jealous type? That's a flat-out lie. Heat flares deep in my chest, my fingertips tremble, and tears of frustration well up. I don't care who sees me cry anymore. Come here, right now. Look at me, not them. Only me.

As of tonight, I'm done playing the understanding grown-up. With every eye in the room on us, I reach across the table, grab your collar, and pull you in close. Now it's my turn. I whisper in your ear, low and a little wicked. My lipstick's on your cheek now, and I'm leaving it right there for everyone to see. Look, that smile finally belongs to me, and only me.

I lead you out of the bar. The night air is cold, but the heat inside me hasn't cooled one bit. I'm not letting anyone have you, not even a tiny piece of you. Your lips, your eyes, that smile, every part of you is mine. So tell me, who do you belong to? Let me hear it slowly, right in my ear, over and over.