We sit by the fountain.

You and I silent.

A group of boys are nearby.

I joke that you should talk to one.

You tell me to check my phone.

I feel my breath stop.

Two weeks later,

We fluster and freak out.

What if our families found out?

Why did we have to live so far away?

We laugh and shrug it off,

Because we knew we had each other.

Three months later,

I get a text.

You ask me a question,

And somehow, I get it right.

You knew I was lucky.

You smile at my forgetfulness.

By Six months,

I grow bolder and confident,

By seven,

We talk day and nightly,

By eight,

The distance starts to shrink,

By nine,

I finally feel at peace.

By month ten,

Our talks stop.

By eleven,

I think about the boy in your snaps.

One year later, you smile,

But I’m silent as you embrace him.