I never loved you

I repeated your words instinctively

ready to sign my name away at the sight of a text

Because that’s all it was

A bubble filled with three words

that I only barely meant

I knew what I had to say

to make you stay

And you had to

Because I loved you

loving me

I wanted you to need me

And I needed you to want me

I couldn’t help but crave the attention

you fed me

Just the idea of withdrawal from such an instant addiction

was enough to take my breath

So I’ll keep telling you I love you

Just to hear the same words back

To get my fix

To fill the need for a familiar feeling

of suffocation