You may not notice her at first. She hides herself well. Her dark eyes retreat behind long lashes and curtains of even darker hair. But you will notice her. And if you are lucky she will notice you too. Do not underestimate her. She is fierce and she is clever. She is independent. You will not tame her. Do not even try. She is not afraid of anything. Except for herself. Do not be frightened of her. She will not laugh at your jokes because it is polite. She will not try to impress you. But you should be impressed. She is sturdy. She has weathered many storms. Her foundation has been cracked by hurricanes and landslides. Because of this she keeps her doors and windows locked tight. Do not try to force your way in. If you are invited however, jump at the chance. She will not ask twice. Sometimes her smile will be delayed, sometimes it will not come at all. That is because she forgets how to. Keep trying until it reaches her eyes. Believe me, it’s worth it. She is an introvert. She requires solitude. Let her be. She is trying to love herself. She will find her way back to you. She will tell you she missed you. She will kiss your cheek. The first time you tell her you love her she is not going to believe you. She is going to fight it. Be patient. Continue to love her anyway. Tell her that she is beautiful. She will never tell you that she is sad. She is always sad. She misses her father every day. Her mother, too. When she cries in the middle of the night, hold her. Wrap your arms around her and kiss her head until she stops shaking. Do not make her talk. She will do the same for you. She will get jealous. She will get angry. Know she is sorry for it. She will swear. She will tell you she hates smokers. She will smoke. She will turn up at your door half-drunk and giggling and ask to cuddle. Please cuddle her. In return, she will sustain you. She will give you shelter from the storm. You can rely on her. Trust her. Have faith in her. She will fight your demons so you do not have to. She will remember how you take your coffee. She will run her fingers through your hair until you fall asleep. She will lay with you at night and tell you her secrets. She will tell you about the time her family went apple picking. She will tell you that she loves horses. And the ocean. She will show you her list of places she wants to go. She will show you her scarred knees. She will show you her scarred heart. This is how you know she loves you. And she will love you so hard. With every fibre of her being she will love you. Please keep her safe. If you cannot then you must let her go. She needs to be cherished. She needs to be protected. She cannot do it on her own. Remember that. Remind her that she is a force to be reckoned with. Remind her that she is not what she has done. Tell her that her father loved her. Tell her that he would be so proud. Tell her that her mother misses her, too. Tell her that she is perfect. When she denies it, tell her again. Kiss the scars on her knees. She is going to give you all of herself. She is going to become every single star in your night sky. Please do not let any clouds obscure your view. She is going to support you. She is going to kiss you until you are both out of breath and then she is going to kiss you again. She is going to believe in you. Please believe in her, too. With her, you are going to want for nothing.
