There were stories I could have told you, but the cloud of a smile that lingered over your face made me hesitate. If it felt like some kind of magic, it was only because there were so many words unspoken, the sheer anticipation of tales untold gave us pause, and we sat in a kind of dumb, silent awe.

I saw you part your lips and closed them again in that twisted agony of inner confusion, caught at the cusp of the urge to speak yet trapped behind the the weight of words ... While here I looked out from the corner of my eye, wondering if I should let you speak for fear of watching you explode, or is it my responsibility to not let you ruin the moment?

And so the words went unsaid, the silence frozen like a story with no ending.