A budding writer's collection

A Funeral for Faded Friendships

I was at the memorial of friendships that never lived to see the daylight

Hundreds of people thronged the place,

Some in heartbreak and some with gratitude.

The space was filled with memorabilia,

For some, it was bracelets

For others, it was books that contained the love

For me, it was that hazy photograph we captured on the last day of school.

It was the beginning of middle school,

Despite being new to the party,

I never felt alienated

Thanks to you and your joy for teasing me relentlessly, 

I found my place.

Calling me weird names was your favorite hobby,

Seeing my annoyed face filled you with happiness

Weren't we just two bickering idiots?

Remember when you intentionally caused numerous dents on my bottle,

Despite me saying a hundred times not to?

Remember how happy you used to get when you successfully hid my belongings,

And that haughty smirk on your face when I had to plead for you to return them?

Remember how we used to pounce on the opportunity to embarrass each other in front of our crushes?

I remember it all,

A mosaic of moments in the canvas of my mind.

It was the second year of high school,

And I could sense you slowly changing,

You were transforming into a whole new person right before my eyes,

From the goofy dork I knew to a silent nerd.

Our friendship remained the same, but it was barely there

As you continued to change, our time together dwindled,

The last year of school reduced to mere moments of bickering

And before we knew it,

It was the end of 10th grade.

I thought we would stay in touch,

Hoped that nothing would change,

But as all friendships that aren't nourished and nurtured,

Ours withered away too

Now we only talk to each other on our birthdays,

A heartfelt wish for the other's happiness and success

And I realized even the most vibrant friendships fade too

Shifting from the bright hues of technicolor,

To the muted tones of vintage photographs.