roses in the wintertime ✓

you

your hair, i remember how much gel you used to put in it. you couldn't afford for anyone to touch it otherwise it might get ruined. now you wake up and run a hand through it.
your eyes, i remember how full of life they used to be. how your eyes would always have wrinkles on the side because you were always smiling. now you always have a straight face on.
your lips, i remember how they were always moving. like the days when we had no shame howling out in laughter during class because someone had just discovered the prank we pulled for them. like the days when you would catch me staring, or i would catch you staring, and you'd grin. now all i can think about is your lips moving against mine.

you changed.

suddenly you wouldn't just creep up behind me and scare me anymore. you stopped kicking my shins and stepping on the back of my shoes. you stopped asking me about where i was going to go after the year was finished. you stopped daring me to do dumb things and getting me into trouble. you stopped pulling me away from our friends so we could be alone together. you stopped telling me to wait a little longer in the hallways in the morning because we were always late.

you stopped staring at me from across the classroom.

why can't i?

kylie szenski