Together

by Anushka Hait (17)
Gundecha Education Academy, Mumbai

Together, they climbed up the stairs,
Baby steps into an adult world,
And the shared tiffin at the corner of the lunchroom,
Meant much more than a few pieces of sandwich.

Together they ran through half-lit streets,
Trying to chase, first bubbles, then each other,
And their muddied boots and wrinkled shirts,
Meant much more than a simple game of football.

Together, they sat through the blazing wind,
He, wiping off her tears and she, her mind on her lost father,
As they watched the night sky turn pale, those silent moments,
Meant much more than a friend lending a shoulder to another.

Together, they beat down every storm, hands clasped and eyes locked,
And every battle she fought for him, he won for her,
And all those moments of peace within this mayhem,
Meant much more than a fleeting triumph.

Published in the March 2017 issue of The Teenager Today.