by grace copps
when we were 6 we would
play house together
and make over our barbie dolls
we’d have contests to see
who could jump the highest off the swings at the playground
we went to the same summer camp
and carefully picked out the colors for our friendship bracelets
when we were 12 we would
have sleepovers every friday
we’d share the pieces of gossip we learned
overheard in the cafeteria and in math class
we’d discuss who was fighting and who was dating
and we’d plan outfits for first dances and first boy-girl parties
our friendship bracelets tied tightly to our wrists
when we were 18 we would
eagerly anticipate the last rites of high school
last lunch, last math class, last warning bell
we’d plan every last detail of our senior prom night
and silently dread the day we’d say good-bye
headed off in different directions
we didn’t tell each other
but this was the year we took off the friendship bracelets
by 24 we
barely talked
the annual “happy birthday” was it
we became just another face
on each other’s social media feeds
and our friendship bracelets gathered dust
in the closets of our childhood bedrooms
but on my 30th birthday you called and said
“skip the pleasantries
let’s talk.”
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