"To the One I Call My Friend"

We were more than cousins, more than classmates — we were two hearts learning to beat in sync through laughter, fights, and secrets kept like treasures. In school halls, we were always side by side. Even when silence stretched between us after a fight, the missing piece was always felt — until one of us gave in with a smile and a sorry. You knew all of me. Every fear, every silly dream. And you kept my truth safely in your heart — never once letting it slip, not even in the stormiest times. I used to feel jealous when others stood close to you. And I know, you felt the same when I laughed too long with someone else. Now, we’re grown. Living different lives, in different places — but whenever we meet again, the years melt away, and we pick up where we left off — as if time forgot to keep us apart. I remember the day you cried on my shoulder — quiet tears from someone who rarely lets them fall. And I held you, wishing I could carry even just a little of your pain. So to you, my dearest friend, my soul’s echo — don’t hold sadness too long. Don’t let silence eat your joy. You may be far, but I’m always near. Always here, with a heart wide open and ears ready to listen. -AL