I stopped texting you first. Stopped replying to your snaps. Stopped posting comments beneath your photos. Stopped liking your photos.

I stopped trying to get your attention — but not as some form of revenge. I’m not trying to make you mad. I’m not trying to make you miss me. I’m simply done trying.

I don’t talk to you anymore because you took up too much of my time and energy. It was a chore to keep you interested in the conversation. Sometimes I would have to send double texts to keep the words flowing because you got bored and stopped answering. Sometimes I had to carry the conversation. I had to think of new topics to discuss. I had to do everything.

I don’t talk to you anymore because I reached a point where it became too tiring. I was tired of trying to make you like me. Tired of trying to ask the right questions and give the right answers. Tired of trying to convince you that I was worthy of your love.

I don’t talk to you anymore because it’s unfair for me to be the only one putting in effort. I initiated every conversation, which is why the second I stopped trying, our texting ended. You could have contacted me for a change, but you never did. I guess you’re still waiting for me to do it. Either that or you don’t care about us losing touch. And if you don’t care, then I shouldn’t either.

I don’t talk to you anymore because I am tired of playing games. I always hated waiting hours for you to text back, but I put up with it, because I cared about you. Because I thought you were worth the wait. But now I realize that you were only trying to keep the power over me, to look like you cared less than I did — and I don’t have time for mind games like that.

I don’t talk to you anymore because there is nothing left to say. You already know how I feel about you, and it’s clear you don’t feel the same way. If you did, then you would have been trying as hard as I always did. You would have made an effort. You would have texted back faster and initiated conversations and asked to see me in person so we weren’t only talking over the phone. But none of those things happened.

I don’t talk to you anymore because I figured you wouldn’t mind losing me. If I’m being honest, I wasn’t even sure if you’d realize I was gone. It’s not like you seemed excited about our conversations in the first place. You always seemed like you were half-there, only paying half-attention.

I don’t talk to you anymore because I don’t have room in my life for people who fail to appreciate me. I’m not mad at you. I’m not trying to get you back. I’m just tired of trying to keep your attention when it’s clear you would rather be elsewhere. I’m tired of texting someone who doesn’t want to text me.