Read this backwards

Raphael slowly kissed her cheek

just once and she felt a pulling away

or maybe she just wanted there to

be a reason she didn’t feel the same

Scientists yesterday found a

parallel universe not far

from Raphael's fraternity house

where time runs backwards

a crazy idea

and while she struggled

against Raphael’s desire

after too many Bud Lights

and guilt

in the time that she was being pulled

towards the bedroom

she disappeared in her mind

against the grain of time

and tried to go back to when

she could avoid

meeting Raphael

at that frat party

a total erasure

of their chemistry

but it turns out

when time goes backwards

and you adjust

one inconclusive thing

like him handing her that beer

you want to erase many things

that only belong with her

in a parallel universe where

you cease to be able to predict

motives and consequences and

the lines are blurred

she puts her hand over his mouth

like this

and when she plays it back

he is no

longer kissing her

Raphael just sits with her

and exists in every

universe