I longed for this. I've waited a year to see everyone. To reconnect the friendships. Being family is one thing, but being friends is another. You don't choose your family, but you choose your friends.
So here I am, with my best friends. Everyone's smile is so big and bright. We weren't thinking about how this week won't last forever. No, we were thinking of now. The present. Our minds locked on each other. Our eyes captivated by everyone. Memories flash before us. The young ones run around with each other. They don't get how much we miss being that young.
Everyone's so grown up. Its like our past selves are fragments of our imagination. Those small children aren't there anymore. No, they're all grown up. Their features changed, but not so much that they are unrecognizable. Their eyes still light up in the same way. And the way they smile is still the same from years past. And the way they laugh is still loud and obnoxious.
We all greet each other with hugs and hellos. We then walk to the cabin. Our names scribbled across the wooden bars above our heads. Strangers names next to them. I took my usual bunk. The one in the back left corner. It was the only bunkbed in this cabin.
I sat on the bottom bed. The sky blue plastic feeling mattress felt awkward against the back of my thighs. But the feeling gave me comfort. As if it was saying, "You're here. You're back with everyone you love."
We all made our beds. Once the sheets and covers were on the thin mattress it didn't feel as awkward. We decided to stay in and talk. Jokes went through the cabin. Our laughter shook the wooden floors.
Soon nighttime fell upon us. Stars twinkled in the dark sky, reflecting off the still lake. My younger sister asked us if we wanted to play hide n' seek.
We all said yes. We've been doing this for years. We paired up and started hiding. My parter was a family friend. We've known each other since we were young. She was like a sister to me.
As we played I never thought about how much I would yearn for this as I grew up. How much I would want to go back and do it again.
We ended the game around one am. The young ones had gone to bed way before that. All of us left awake fought against the tiredness. Trying to make the most out of every second.
As we talked back in the cabin, loving gazes went around. We had all missed each other so much. My lips, along with everyone else's, were formed into a smile.
*
The week went by quick, too quick. As soon as it started, it ended. And here we were. On the last day. Talking filled the sad air of the cabin. Sad smiles upon our lips. We talked about what happened this week. Inside jokes were repeated. Stories from days and years ago were told.
As we all said goodbye, tears were held back. Our hugs had an extra grip to them. One more year and all this will be repeated. All the greetings. All the smiles. All the love. All the laughs. Then all the sadness. All the goodbyes. All the tears.
Its so bittersweet. How we do fun and amazing things together. But then the time is over. I hate how nothing last forever. How time passes right as it's here.
One second only last one second. Then time moves on to the next second.
I wish I could stop time. But I can't. So here I am, bedding in one hand and suitcase in the other. We stood by a railing near the lake. Our shadows casted down into the water.
You could only see the outline of us. You couldn't see the small detail of sadness in our eyes. You couldn't see our frowns. You just saw our bodies.
You saw girls and boys standing there, leaning against the railing. You saw my friends. You saw my family. You saw the people I longed to see. You saw the ones I love. You saw the ones I needed.
You saw the bittersweet ending of our week together.
We all gazed out at the lake. The lake we grew up on. We whispered small memories that had happened years ago. One by one, people left. Shadows disappeared. Until there was just me and my two siblings.
Our shadows left as we did.
And all you could see was emptiness.
