Hiding a Secret

Eyes widen my heart starts to pound

Pound like it’s never pounded before

I can hear it, can they too.

Do they all know?

Can they see through my thin veil?

My hands start shaking.

Hitting the tops of my hips.

They start to notice.

I stop moving and stare back at them.

I give a slight smile.

They smile back.

A sigh of relief.

I am safe for the moment.

Days pass, then weeks.

The topic is brought up again.

My brain goes fuzzy.

I can’t meet their eyes.

An uncontrollable urge to run.

But my legs are rooted to the spot.

The asker reaches out and firmly grab my arm

They trace their finger along the scar

As if they wish they could erase it.

They look at me as if their world has ended.

Their world has melted around their untouched bodies.

I pull my arm back quickly.

I can’t explain why,

Once I start the wave of annoyance flows over their face.

Why tell a secret if no one wants to pay the price of hearing it?