I never thought I’d be here—just me, my phone, and my bedroom. It wasn’t always like this.
When I transferred to a new high school, I thought making friends would be impossible. But somehow, I did. Not the kind of friends you tell your deepest secrets to, but the kind who make your days lighter, who turn ordinary moments into memories worth keeping.
Now, I sit here, scrolling through pictures and videos we took—laughing during lessons, messing around at break, capturing the little moments that felt like they would last forever. There were good days, and there were painful ones too, but even those had people in them. Now, it’s just me. And the silence.
It’s strange how life moves forward whether you’re ready or not. I should be in college right now. That was the plan. But instead, I’m here, on a gap year that wasn’t really my choice. It feels like my life is on pause while the world keeps spinning. If only I had saved enough, if only I could have worked at 15—not forever, just during the holidays, just enough to have something put away for this moment. Maybe then, I wouldn’t feel like I’m waiting for life to start. But it is what it is.
I try to remind myself that delays aren’t the same as dead ends. That just because things aren’t happening now doesn’t mean they never will. But in the quiet of my room, with my phone lighting up old memories, it’s hard not to wonder: how long will I be stuck here, waiting for the next chapter to begin?
