~Nate Lyons, Class of 2025

Hello?
Are you there?
Guys?
Texts. Messages. Calls.
All unanswered.

Anyone?

You said you could call today.
Why aren’t you answering?
Busy. As always.
We’ve barely talked in months.
What is it now?
Are you at a swim meet?
With your little brother?
Doing homework?
Why don’t you answer?
I’ve been waiting for an hour.

But I don’t send those questions.
They can’t ever know.
How much it hurts to feel ignored by your best friends.
For now, i’ll just say:
Hello?
Are you there?

…

But you couldn’t possibly have that many swim meets.
Your little brother couldn’t take up that much of your time.
And you couldn’t have that much homework.

So what’s keeping you from sending a single message to your best friend?

…

Hello?
Anyone?
Why don’t you answer me?
…

I guess I’ll keep waiting.

Like always.