push/ pull

I want to write this for all the people who came and left.
Especially the ones who said they’d stay.
The ones who only come when I pull away.
He comes when I ignore him — and the moment I soften, he runs.

He doesn’t want love that’s soft and still.
He wants love that hurts. That burns. That makes him chase.
Peace doesn’t excite him. Happiness isn’t thrilling enough.

Maybe this is karma. Maybe once I ignored too.
And now, they’ve come back to teach me how it feels.
Maybe they won’t stop until it stings the same.

But I don’t want to hurt anyone. Ever. Again.
I want to live beautifully.
I’ll keep singing, writing, dancing — because that’s what keeps me alive.
That’s what no one can take from me.