Know these needles if you are to stay. :>

I think many things in life boil down to the same ole concept,
Honesty.

When will we meet, my friend?

Promises have become so worthless now because of how dishonest people are about themselves and everyone else. They know that they will not carry it out, but they do not face those genuine emotions as they should. Instead, they promise and promise, for the simple reason of it sounding like music to the ear.
If you don't feel that strongly for someone, what's the point in saying such irresponsible things?

The reciprocating of people's actions becomes meaningless when you sense that the emotions are not that genuine.
It's intentions are not genuine, so how do you accept it?
Perhaps this is pride, or just plain stubbornness.

But you do not wish to accept gifts that were given, not out of love because the two of you are friends, but because of how you have once given her something too and she wants to return something---anything, really--- back just so she can not feel indebted to you.

It's so... Cheap that way.
This gift was shoved into my bag even though I explicitly stated that I didn't want you to spend for me. That stubbornness is unnatural. If you truly liked my company and wanted to make me happy, you would have tried to do so with time, or something else with much thought.

You wouldn't have dragged me into an expensive store, refusing to leave, and buying me the 'cheapest one inside' just so I would accept it. You wouldn't have ignored the fact that I walked out of the store before you could buy anything, and waited for you outside, not talking a word more about the gift.
You wouldn't have left early.
You wouldn't have disregarded all the things a 'friend' should care about.

Your intentions were clear---to clear a debt, not for a friend.
If it were instead a thoughtful and sweet gesture, I'd have felt it.
But no, it wasn't there.

So how can one accept a gift like that?
How can you not refuse something so meaningless?

You are lonely, but not desperate.
And this is precisely the reason for your dislike for this one person.
Lack of authenticity. Lack of honesty in her emotions.
She likes to write really nice sounding cards and posts to you on Facebook,
But when it comes down to actually spending time together in real life,
You don't feel or see it from her.
It never feels like a friendship.
And so gifts like that shouldn't be accepted

You can't appreciate something for intentions that aren't there.

Adults call this nitpicking and over-sensitivity,
But it is part of you and you don't want to change it.

Your honesty or need for it will ruin relationships like it already has,
And it will continue to do so, for you are confident that this is the way to go

That this filtering of people in your life with that perfectionistic standard of need for authenticity is exactly what ensures that what's left behind is what will last throughout time.

That there will be honesty this way, that this honesty will ensure growth and a closeness that transverse all boundaries, that doesn't get rusty even if it's only a brief meeting every few months.

That as prickly a person it makes you,
You will not change it,
For it is these pins and needles that will drive away the fickle and shallow ones,
And you will be slightly lonely,
But never depressed or empty.

Instead, you will be filled to the brim with something so warm it defrosts ice within the world.