I ain't about to ring the bell

So after all that, I'm supposed to fall back in is what you mean?

That's just pure delusion.

Years went by, and in the meantime I grew up, I added chips on my shoulders, and I kept falling, falling, and falling again. You were the one who tackled first.
You were the first opponent I couldn't beat.

Wait a minute... that's actually not true.

We did not even play together.

You played me.

And now you want to play the same game again, with the same rules.

There is but one difference though:

I'm not stepping onto the ring.

I don't get you point. I don't see why I would be willing to play a game where everyone loses in the end. That's totally irrational. 

You want to hurt and to be hurt, that's fine by me. But I don't want to be either the quarterback or the receiver.

I am not your toy anymore.

And I don't love you no more.

What did you expect, for real? After all these years?

I lived through worse than you, far worse. I was loved more than you could ever have loved me. Far more. I loved so much more than I was loving you.

The only thing special about you is that you came up first.
And I was totally pristine back then.

Well congratulations, you fucked me up good. I'll give you that.

But even when it comes to that, you're not the record-holder.

I lost too much, one too many times in those games. Be it being the puppet-master or the marionette. There is no winning, just mutual destruction. And I don't see how it could do either of us any good.

At least, I know for a fact that it would not do me any good. 

This was selfish of you to demand I get dragged into your battlefield again. It is not mine. I am not a pawn anymore. I am not a fucking doll you might torture at will.

Hurting people is not the solution to protect oneself.

It's even less of a solution to heal.
You gotta find another way. You gotta find your way. Whatever helps you get outta here, but you can't keep on playing dirty.

Because it maybe was not what caused the pain in you in the first place

But it is what's been nurturing it so far, and will continue to until you decide to stop.

This is advice. It is advice because I've been there. I've been deep into the ground hole, crying for help only to hear my echo respond; my eyes unable to compute light anymore. I came to similar conclusions, that anger, anguish and pain would be perfect weapons. And I started using them.

But not against myself.
You gotta use it as a strength, turn it into something good. Goodness emanating from evil, this was my out-of-the-box solution, and to this day it still fuels me. And as long as I can control it, I make good things happen.

You can't stay seated waiting for it to disappear. Because it won't. Not by itself. Either you can use it, or you get rid of it. But you can't keep on tinkering with this hazard if you're hurting yourself. And others.

I told you, there are ways out. Ways you can find, on your own, while being shielded by the people around you. You also have crutches, you just gotta trust them.

But I am not the one who will solve your problems.

I can't drag you out of your despair. Because it is not my job. I can't see through this darkness. I don't know you enough. I don't know you enough anymore. We are strangers.

Because the boy you knew ain't here no more.

He bequeathed me the head memories, but I didn't inherit the heart memories. I know what it was like. I don't feel it.

I am not your savior. Never will be.

Because after you were gone,

I had to look ahead.

And now I'm not interested in turning back.

I am not in love with you anymore. Life happened, Emma happened, strength happened.

I dealt with it.

Now I know how hard it is to go through this alone in your head. And I will be here if need be to unfuck it up a notch. But I can't play the role of the hero. Because first things first, I was not cast for it.

And I never wanted to.

But what bothers me in the end is the way you came back. Pushing, shoving, so that I would crack. Let it be clear: I won't crack. You say you're strong, well you might be on your way, but not quite there yet. And I won't be the one to snap your crutches and make you collapse a second time. Because I'm not looking for vengeance. So why would you? I never did you any wrong. I don't deserve to be bullied. But more than that, I don't like being bullied. I am not a pushover anymore.

I felt attacked, I felt like someone was trying to break me. You were trying to break me, for your sheer enjoyment. I don't break. I have people depending on me now. I'm not 16 anymore. I do not budge. I do not give in. I do not give up. This was an aggression towards who I am, but also towards the people I stand for. This was an aggression towards the hard work I put, the strides I took in order to do something with my life, to stand back up every time. It was an aggression towards me.

I'll let it slide this time, but be warned.

I do not normally let the people who attack me get off so easy.

I'm making an exception. Not because of any feelings that will never be rekindled or out of some manifestation of pity. I'm making an exception because I've been there, and I know sometimes it gets tough. But I never attacked anyone when I was down.

So I don't expect to be attacked by people who are.

I don't take anything from anyone.

So never take anything away from me.
Never try to draw first blood again.

Ever.

Because keep in mind that I never forget
But I also never forgive.

Don't forget that you came back, so that means that you are in MY house. And you'll have to abide the rules. I'm not gonna play games, these are just rules that will allow both of us to win this time, for a change.

And I'm not giving you a choice here.

If you agree, then fine.

Otherwise

You can see yourself out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aQz-aKvyQU