What if

everyone loves her
like it’s the easiest thing in the world
like breathing
like light finding the ocean
she walks into a room
and it rearranges itself around her
but she never sees it
never sees the way they watch her
the way i do
she laughs and they fall a little
i fall a lot
and still she calls me
best friend
like it’s a soft place
like it’s enough
she tells me stories about boys
and never notices
the silence i leave between my words
or the way i memorize her face
like it’s the only truth i’ve ever known
she doesn’t know
that i’m drowning in every moment she’s near
smiling through it
because being near her
hurts less than being without her
and maybe she’ll never know
maybe it’s better
maybe some kinds of love
were meant to stay quiet
but sometimes
when she’s sitting too close
and the world forgets to breathe
i wonder
what if