This man is in my head, thinking my thoughts. For real.

A different message from a different friend that seriously articulates what I am so, so afraid of:

"Is all of love just a duel? Shoot before the other person does? But what happens when you internalize that? And all of the other people in the world who've been hurt do the same? And then at the first sign that reminds you of the time it hurt the worst, you pull that trigger and shoot before they do, because you're bound and determined to never let that happen again.

"And then you realize you shot the heart out of someone who only wanted to love you."