Late Night Drives

Jonathan Valania

May 25th, 2025


11:35 pm

I texted her,

“I’ve got a surprise for you.”

Waiting for the rejection.


She answered,

“What is it?”

And sounded happy.


“I can’t tell you — just meet me at work at midnight.”


She showed up.

“I’m kidnapping you.

We’re going for a drive.

I brought your favorite snacks —

hot cocoa, sour gummy worms, and more.

I know you’ve been feeling down.”


She smiled wide.


As we pulled out of the lot,

the vanilla scent lingered,

wrapping the car like a memory.

It pulled me back to that night at Berks,

when our friendship felt so natural—

where we both were heard,

where we were finally seen.

 

Read the Next Poem 

Sentencing

 

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