I have always admired her.
I know the first two words that popped into your head when I said that.
From afar.
And the answer
Is no.
I was in close proximity through it all.
I was the one she came to 
When things looked dim.
And I had to watch
As she continuously 
chose the wrong one.
Left her heart out in the open
Waiting to be savagely attacked.
And attacked it was.
Over and over.
Watching this unfold,
From a front row seat,
Is where my admiration bloomed.
She was the strongest person I knew.
putting herself out there like that all the time.
it took guts.
But she did it.
Which is where my tale begins.
I knew right when it started happening. 
One day, he started to talking to her.
And she talked back.
She slowly turned her back to me,
And faced him, with her innocent grin.
There talks grew longer and longer,
Till one day,
He walked with her.
I always walked with her.
That was my job.
To be sure she arrived safely at her destination.
It comforted me to know i was her protector.
But what was I to do?
She thought he was her safety net.
Her safe harbor.
But He was the wave.
That would sweep her away.
One day, 
I had the pleasure of following behind their affections stroll.
Cupid had struck,
But the arrow had broke.
He knew.
7 days in.
It was not going to work.
Yet he continued playing the part.
Lying straight to her adorning face.
That looked up at him with so much affection,
It made you believe that love was real.
It sickened me being a third party observer to this game.
This game that he enjoyed playing.
10 Days in.
I knew what was to come.
I was in close proximity when it began to unfold.
Hand in hand,
Such as they were,
He stopped her.
She slowly looked up at him
As he whispered in her ear.
Her body flinched and she instinctively took a step back.
But he held on.
She fought and struggled
And the tears trickled.
She finally went limp,
And i longed to rescue her.
To hold her, brush back the hair from her face.
And whisper,"you're beautiful."
But his broad shoulders continued to tower her small frame.
The seconds ticked by, which felt like a millennium.
Then, something occurred that I had never before witnessed.
She shook herself of him.
Forced him to hold her gaze.
Forced him to see her pain.
And that is all she knows.
Because she turned and left.
Never even glanced back.
But I know the rest.
He stood there and watched her go. 
Until she was out of sight.
And even for a moment after.
She is the strongest person I know.
Because,
She has a power,
That she herself doesn't even know is in her possession.
She has an affect on people.
Her strength and gentleness together make a deadly combination.
People want her when she's gone.
And her power is, 
She knows if they were worth it,
There would be no reason for them to miss her.
They would keep her safe and close.
Where a girl like her belongs.