I read on the internet once
that the most powerful three words in the world
are I love you

i. I am sixteen and I ache to wait 
to hear that fall from someone’s lips
nervous smiles and sweaty palms
a glassy, delicate profession
breathless but true
the movies tell me it will be magical
as if I need any more reason to wait for her
her who is kind and sensible,
perfect winged eyeliner, smelling of apple pie
and cinnamon buns
I don’t know her yet
but I yearn 
waiting for three words

ii. I am sixteen and I ache to live
to wake up excited to read texts saying good morning 
to the thrill of ditching class in the middle of second
illicit midnight trips under lamplight and under stars
the movies promised me I’d live at sixteen
and I hurt when I wonder 
what did I do wrong to be such a failure now
still I yearn,
thoughts circling my mind at every spare moment
why am I not good enough?
I wait for three words

iii. I am sixteen and I ache
for my impossible wants
surrounded with dreams of greener time
unwanted I wander the halls
but he stops me
cradling a textbook to his chest
we share nothing but half-friendly conversations
and an honors english class
still, my heart is cracked in two
and I am tired of waiting but
three words fall from his lips
not breathless, but full of care
there during second under harsh fluorescent lights
I think the internet was wrong
“are you okay?”