Last Days & Farewells

Mom hollering, "Get to school!"
stuffing the hashbrown in my face
ketchup stains the corners of my mouth
sprinting up the stairs
changing faster than the speed of light
Dad honking in the driveway, shouting at Mom
"You're gonna pick 'em up!"
Flying into the car
Then just sitting
still pumping with the adrenaline
my daily dose every dawn
the whole neighborhood hears a girl
screaming for her brother to
"HURRY UP! WE'RE GONNA BE LATE"
Is she okay?
She will be if she's on time

At a glance
the same as every school day morn

But today,
I secure a blue mask around my ears
before I race out the car
without my hefty backpack
reminding me of my purpose

Approaching the front office
I've been through, maybe once before?
Warily looking around, keeping my distance
Afraid that if I spot my friends
I won't be able to resist the urge to hug them

ID number, first and last name
this last day feels like my first
I hardly recognize the halls
Without the swarms of strange faces
The comfortable cacophony of classmates

Yet, the familiarity still grasps me
a smile ghosts my lips
not for the first time
on such a noble Tuesday morning
but today, nobody will see

Although our smiles are muffled by masks
The same gleam mirrored in their eyes
of longing, of joy
and for once I am sad that
I am not the only dork
who missed this place

Heading to the locker rooms
how refreshing to talk to someone
even if it's only a locker room attendant
making small conversation
a splash of water in a drought

Holding the cool metal lock
lightly, in my palm
I don't remember the combo
but my fingers spin
faster than the rusty cogs of my brain

They recall the days
which this was just procedure
slipping on PE clothes slightly damp
with yesterday's sweat
wondering what kind of torture
second period would hold

Slamming the locker shut
More out of habit, than of need
back when I shoved my bulging mass of supplies
just so the door would close
CRACK!
and whoops, there would go my protractor

Sitting, waiting on a bench
it's not something I did much, then
I was always busy, bustling here and there
listening, and laughing, and talking
but never truly looking

Walking out the gates
of the campus I know so well
I let go of the balloons
That have been keeping me afloat
I need to be grounded now

To take the next step, away
I finally say farewell
perhaps two weeks in advance
perhaps two months late

This chapter is ending
and I feel regret for the situation
I could not possibly changed
but the book is far from over
I'll be back yet
Just you wait

Goodbye, sophomore year

Catch you later, AHS