The Boy Around the Block

I once knew

a boy

who lived a block away.

We weren't friends,

but merely

acquaintances,

classmates,

neighbors.

When he moved to my

elementary school

in 1^st grade,

we sat next to each other.

He told me my hair

was pretty.

We never talked much.

Then came

middle school,

where his homeroom was down the hall.

In seventh grade,

we had some classes together,

but I never thought much of him.

A few

friends of mine

liked him. We had

laughs about him at

sleepovers,

parties,

and chat groups.

Then, one day,

I was online.

I saw a lot of

people posting

things like

“You’ll be missed”

“Love you, man” and

“you wont be forgotten around here!”

I thought

the boy I had known since

elementary school

had died.

Later,

I had found out that he

had moved

out of state.

It hasn't made an impact

on my life.

HE

hasn't made an impact

on my life.

But,

I have realized,

that I have always had

his presence.

  Sometimes,

  I walk by his house

  and look at the For Sale sign

  that is on the lawn.

  He lived there

  for eight years.

  And now,

  he doesn't.

I don’t miss this boy.

We weren't friends.

I miss his presence,

Because it is just

another sign that

my childhood

is gone.