What she never realized
Lying in her sheltered bed, sterile house in high school
.
Was the fact that Trying Alcohol wasn’t going to be the memory,
(And there wasn’t much in the cups any of those nights, she tells herself),
It was the way you saw her standing, functioning, fine, and asked if she was okay
.
The way you wrapped her in a warm hug as a comfort, as a friend
The way you showed her the best pictures from your book about the solar system
(Sitting on the ledge in your dorm like it had expected this)
And led her to the nubby carpet for a dance
Singing along, that there’s no place you’d rather be, to her as she stared at the floor.
.
What she never realized
Lying in her sheltered bed, sterile dorm in college
.
Was that two hours later she would wake up
With the name of a dear friend on her mind, heart, voice
