Not Alike, But Right

By Poonam Gaikwad

You say we’re alike —

You’re wrong, though.

Your soul has angels,

Rough at times, but golden beneath.

Me?

I’m mean.

Cruel, obsessive,

The kind of vile that whispers "secret psycho."

You won’t say it,

But I know it.

Hell, some people do say it.

I’m not cruel on purpose —

But unintentionally?

Yeah.

To friends.

To family.

All because my words lack warmth.

I’m terrible at showing how I feel.

Confessions? Not my thing.

Sweetness? Feels foreign.

Guilt keeps me company most nights.

But with you...

I saw a version of myself I never met.

A softer side.

More loving.

More kind.

You encouraged me —

Kept my feet grounded

Before I collapsed into

the messier versions of me.

Is it love?

No.

But it feels right.

And I wouldn’t want it any other way.

By Poonam Gaikwad