We used to play footsies back in the third grade under our desk while the teacher talked about division and words we would never use like "nonchalant" and "prosperity"
We would lay in the benches together during recess and look at the clouds move when we were supposed to be playing handball
We would run off to the library to help put away books to get away from everybody
You were there when I first developed my love for books and the beauty of poetry
I would help you with your homework because I was better at math than you even though I never paid attention, and you probably only pretended to need help
We would share my snacks because sometimes you didn't have any
You were there when I lost 30 pounds because my mom was so obsessed with me being the perfect little girl she dreamed of
You were there when I first started developing my bulimia, even though you didn't know it was even going on You sometimes hung out with your other friends and you would ask me to tag along because you didn't want me to be alone
You didn't come from a good family and you had many problems
You started to disappear bit by bit and I started making up excuses saying I was helping the nurse or reading in the library and didn't even notice your lack of absence
You weren't there on the last day of school and I'm sure I'm the only one that noticed your absence
But you came back a couple of months later and acted like you didn't know me
And soon again you were gone
But I still have the memory of you in my mind, and I think of you sometimes
And even though you wouldn't recognize me if you saw me again, I know for a fact that I could recognize you from a mile away