Watching

The driver's anger was visible.

His hands on the wheel.

His jaw clenched.

I started watching him in the rearview mirror

like I could stop something

if I just paid attention.

Fourteen minutes. That's how long.

Fourteen minutes of me assessing.

Reading his silence.

Becoming someone who knows

that watching might save me.

My own face reflected back, small,

behind his head.

Watching him.

Watching myself watching.

When he dropped me off,

I thought I was free.

But I'm still in that mirror.

Still monitoring.

Still small.

Still seeing the way his jaw moved.

Still hearing the way he didn't speak.

Still becoming the person who has to know

what other people might do.

Still watching.