rexphantom

"Please believe me, I'll never do you any harm."

"I don't believe you. You will."

". . . never on purpose."

"Ha! On purpose or not, harm is harm. I don't want it."

"So, what? You're just going to play it safe for your entire life?"

"I know when to take risks, I'm not afraid of them. But you, with you I know better. It will come to no good, so I do believe I'll pass. Move along."

"I won't . . . no! No, I deserve better than that."

"Excuse me, you deserve? What is that one supposed to mean? Because we've made out I owe you something? Because we've spent some time together I owe you something? What I owe you is this conversation. But that's it, that's all."

"No, that's not what I meant . . ."

". . . well? What?"

" . . . "

"I'm going to go."

"Don't . . ."

"I'm going to. There is nothing else here."

"But there can be, if . . . if you're strong enough."

"Come on. That's bullshit."

"What's bullshit?"

"That is."

"Why?"

"Like if you put me on the defensive I'll give in? If you make it like I'm running from--"

"You are running!"

"--from something then I'll see the error of my ways? I'm sorry, but the truth is my mind is made up. You can't argue your way out of it, or convince me otherwise, or . . . jesus."

" . . . "

" . . . come on, don't do that. It's not . . . we don't even know each other that well."

" . . . that's the point, I mean . . . "

"What?"

" . . . I don't know. I mean, I just . . . I don't know. It's not entirely logical I think, but it's something I feel. I want this to be right."

"You'll leave. You want it because it's hard and you can't have it. As soon as I say yes and I promise not to leave, you'll lose interest."

"How can you say that? What makes you think you know that?"

"I just do."

" . . . you don't know anything. You're making a mistake, you're fucking this up."

" . . . "

"And you'll come back when it hurts and you miss me so bad."

" . . . I don't think . . . I don't know, I guess we'll see."

"I can't promise to be here when you do it. I can't promise to take you back."

"I don't want you to. I'd kick your ass if you did."

"Ha, yeah, I know."

" . . . "

"I won't say it, because I know it would make you uncomfortable, but . . . I mean, you know how I feel. I told you that."

"I know."

"I still feel it."

"I know."

" . . . okay, well."

"Yeah."

"I'll talk to you later, I guess."

"Yeah."

" . . . bye."

"Bye."