Family Friends

in

by Sneha Sriram

You shot me with nerf guns

declared yourself the victor

Of our make believe war

At 7 and 8

We ran around in water parks

And when you slipped on nothing

I held your hand as you cried

And smiled at me

I helped you pack for college

Box up your childhood

And I couldn’t help but feel

Like it was me 

that was being thrown away

And I never thought that you

Were mine or ever could be

But in another life

What could have been