45 seconds

The story is an emotional letter from a young man to his late friend, Tanner. The writer reminisces about their memories from childhood to playing together on the football team. He recalls a memorable game where Tanner caught a bad pass and led the team to victory, a moment of pure joy when everyone celebrated together.

However, things soon took a turn for the worse. A rumor about Tanner started spreading at school. At first, it was just a joke, but over time, the teasing and bullying became more serious. The writer remembers the moment when Tanner was humiliated in front of the entire school, standing frozen with his lunch tray in his hands. In his dreams, he always stands up for Tanner, but in reality, he stayed silent and laughed along.

Tanner began withdrawing, skipping practice, while the writer remained too afraid to do anything for fear of being targeted as well. When he saw Tanner's locker vandalized, he simply walked past, pretending not to notice. And then, Tanner was gone.

Looking back, the writer is filled with regret for not standing up when it mattered. He shares how small changes started happening at school after Tanner's passing, like the creation of an LGBTQ+ club and how people became kinder to one another. At graduation, he had the chance to give a speech, and although he isn't sure if his words made a difference, he hopes they reached someone who, like Tanner, felt like they didn't belong.

At the end of the letter, he leaves behind yellow chrysanthemums-a flower that symbolizes both happiness and sorrow-as a final tribute to his lost friend. He promises to live better, to help others, and to never forget Tanner and the lessons he left behind.