Today we said goodbye for the last time.
After this, we’re off to better and greater things.

Your face glowed in the summer sun.
My heart melted on the hot blacktop.
I wanted to tell you how I felt —
my words
not the whispers
not rumors
that you must’ve heard in the hallways.

I wanted to show you all that I’ve been hiding
but when I started to speak, you said ‘goodbye.’
You wished me good luck
as we took a quick photo.

I’ve never seen you
look so beautiful.
I’ve never felt
so crushingly devastated.