This Year Is Different

This year is different,
though maybe it's not the year
but us.

I'm not sure those
kids we were back at the end
of Freshmen year would
ever recognize who we are
now.

Sometimes I don't.

That was the last summer
that we were ever really close.
Most days you could find us
together, usually roaming the streets
of whatever town we happened
to be in.

We were young and scared
and covered that with pride in
our oddity and pretended we knew who we were.

I miss those days.

I'm not sure when it happened,
when we first began to fall apart.
I think
It was somewhere between the days of
seclusion and my escape
from the town I thought I hated.

But this year is different,
The past four has seen us change
and grow and become a little bit more of
who we're supposed to be.

I'm glad it's different.

Since the summer we have begun
to grow closer, though I doubt we'll
ever be as we were before.
Perhaps, it's healthier this way.

We have lost the child-like dependency
we once had and in it's place
is a healthier bond
made of Monday night trips to Walmart,
Sunday afternoon walks
and late night conversations.

Some things don't change.

So yes, this year is a little different
and so are we.
We're nowhere near grownup and
I only have a faint clue of what
I want to do, but we are together
with adventures still ahead of us.

I'm okay with the differences.