She chooses those she knows and avoids

those she doesn’t
It doesn’t matter if they bring her light

or if they bring her happiness
She doesn’t care that they could bring her

joy she’s never felt or another new emotion
Why would she allow an unknown to enter her

perfectly gated home?
They might bring in sorrow, sadness, or

even pain.
They could hurt her, break her,

or tear her apart.
Why should she risk it? She’s safer now with

her familiar faces
Safer--because those familiar faces can’t hurt her,

right?
She’ll continue without investigating potential

friends, continue in her gated world
Until the hurt--she worked so hard to avoid--

comes flying back to her.