I Want You to Want Me

Inspired by Cheap Trick.

     I want you to want me. I’m looking at you, searching for the perfect companion, and I can already tell that we would be best friends. I want a best friend. You want a best friend. Wouldn’t it be nice to be best friends? I can tell we’re both fun. We can frolic in the park on lazy summer days, we can lie together on the couch and watch movies, we can snuggle with each other every night when we go to sleep. It’ll be great.

     You glance my way and smile. Your grayscale features don’t matter to me as I hear you talk. I can’t understand what you’re saying, but that’s okay: we’re going to be best friends, after all. I can tell how excited and happy you are to see me. I smile back. I can barely contain my excitement as I run in circles and jump for you. I hear you say “Awwwww!” I don’t know what that means, but everyone that walks by says it with a smile so it must mean something good.

     You get down on your knees and wave to me. There is some sort of invisible wall blocking us, but it can’t stop me from feeling the compassion beating inside your heart. I can feel it there, and I know you can feel mine. We were supposed to be together from the start, I just know it!

     You slowly get up and wave at me again. I c**k my head in curiosity. Are you leaving? You are, aren’t you? You’re leaving to go wave to the others. What’s wrong with me? Come back, come back! Keep waving and awing at me! We want each other, don’t you understand?

     Please, I need you. I need you to need me. I can’t keep doing this, this roller coaster of being ecstatic to see someone want me and then experience the disappointment of them passing me by. I need to be loved. I need to be embraced. I need you; I can tell you need me too. Why can’t you see it?

     You eventually come back my way. You pause in front of me and we stare at each other. We gaze into each other’s eyes. I try smiling again, even though I know it won’t win you over. But I have to try. I have to try or I’ll be sent somewhere far away, to a place where I don’t think I’ll be able to want or need anymore. Please. I’m begging you. Beg me to take you home. Want me as much as I want you. We need each other.

     You wave goodbye. I sit down and lay my head on my paws. They’re still wet from when I was cleaning myself earlier. I wanted to look nice for you. I guess I didn’t look nice enough. I start cleaning myself again; I need to look my best or I’ll be taken to that place.

     Another one comes by. I smile again. It hurts, but… well, we want each other, right?