It doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time—the time it took is when I wasn’t fully present. You fell for someone else because I didn’t pay attention.

I didn’t ask questions. I cared but I didn’t care enough. I didn’t keep up with the details of your day, including your life.

I spoke of my troubles and my victories, I shared stories of all factors that were big and small. I never noticed you also wanted to tell me things, but I never stared into the eyes of the one I truly loved, because I forgot.

When you watch your person fall for someone else, you will wish you knew about them more and you will wish you listened.

It seems strangers seem to speak to each other more than us. It is when you knew all about me, but I barely knew much about you, because I never took the time to take note. Your voicelessness needed ears that you couldn’t find in me.

I know you aren’t doing it to hurt me and you aren’t trying to bring me down. You got tired of feeling mute in the loud life we had together that only had one voice.

You were my everything, but I treated you like nothing, and I wondered why you felt lost. When you asked for attention, I got defensive and resented you for speaking up, so you never tried again.

When you watch your person fall for someone else, you will start to notice a sparkle in their eyes—you will notice they are no longer waiting for you to validate them. You will notice that your stories are no longer heard.

You’re being respected and treated like an equal by someone else—it’s everything I couldn’t give you. Someone is finally listening to you; this is why you started falling for someone else.

It took a long time for you to fall for someone else, and it only happened because I made you feel alone, even when I was right next to you. I heard your words, but I never listened to what you meant.

I was your all, and then I became your nothing. I wish I knew what you were feeling when I was distracted by my life. I wish I didn’t bury your value under my selfish thoughts.

I keep it together, especially when I see your friends and family. I try to look strong because I can see you no longer look at me like before. I break down in the shower because my ego will not allow me to apologize.

When you watch your person fall for someone else, the only regret you have is that you should have tried and you could have tried, but you never did. Communication is all that you ever needed.