As the cars pass my window, I read each license plate. Virginia is for Lovers.

I used to want to be a Cinderella. To have a prince ride up on his stead, find me in a world of darkness and bring me to a castle filled with light. Now, here we are. A world of darkness and this is my prince, with no stead. Was this my dream? You know… the one where they said is a wish that your heart makes.

They said that in these dreams is where you will lose your heartache, but they never said how hard it was to crawl out of bed when the dream is over. You think you find true love when he grabs your face and tells you he “loves” you. You think you have found true love when he says he’s sorry over and over again for the same things. But he knows what you want to hear.

Love. It’s complicated, indeed. But Love should not be difficult. Love can be deep. Is that why it’s so dark? Shouldn’t Love make you want to sing symphonies… not scream sorrows. You see, I have found that his kind of “love” is a four-letter word he said to make you feel safe. This was his way of getting permission to grab your thigh. And when he said, “I love you,” for the first time, it was only after you made him feel good. It was, in that context, temporary. Because, once you’re not around and he’s with his “homies”, or maybe it’s his ex “lover”, he forgets the memory of his panting “I love you.” He forgets wiping away your tears from the screaming fights that happened over the same issues you’ve had before.

And this was the wish your heart made?

No.

You see, you are your own prince in this situation. Because a “man” like this could never mean he Loves you. This time, Cinderella, pick up the glass slipper and walk away with tears in your eyes. Because this is not the wish your heart made.