I don’t know what it is about the quiet hush of nightfall, or the silence from our phones as the moon dips towards 3 a.m., but my most important conversations are held under the chirp of crickets and the star-speckled sky.
Tears and laughter accompany the memories that I hold from sleepovers years ago. Evenings filled with popcorn and games of “truth or dare” end with restless nights and authentic conversations.
I love the late-night talks that I’ll remember forever, even the ones that end in tears. A conversation whispered in the dark of a room as tears silently pool in my eyes. I try not to cry as my friends whisper how much they will miss me. Last sleepover before I move. Last night I spend with my best friends.
I tell myself that it’s not a big deal.
“It’s okay. I promise we’ll stay in touch.”
My friendships may have weakened, but they’re still there, just reduced to distant memories of tears, candy, horror movies, and sleepless nights.
That night was the hardest part of leaving, and now, my sleepover conversations are accompanied by laughter instead of tears. I still remember that one talk with my friends as I tried to pretend I wasn’t crying.
I’ve always loved talking to other people after midnight. The world looks different through sleep-deprived eyes. Authentic conversations are the hallmark of my sleepovers, and the world turns vulnerable when the sun disappears for the night.
Sleepovers are my most clear memories, made poignant by the hushed words of truth that more often than not come out with the real emotions of the people I care most about.
Some nights may end in tears, yet there will always be happy memories formed through matching pajamas and laughter.
The night of Winterfest, dresses lay discarded in the corner and a corsage hung upside down on the wall. Distant notes of “Starships” by Nicki Minaj still played in my thoughts as the clock continued to tick closer to the 4 a.m. mark. The rest of the world long asleep, my eyes drifted shut as the tranquil chatter bounced off the walls like the pool balls did just an hour prior.
Our words echo through the room as we lay against my headboard laughing. It seems impossible to believe that just a few months ago I was lying in the dark, not knowing how the rest of my life would be changed.
Now, I smile with my heart full and happy as the different smells of my friends’ perfumes still mingle in the air. A moment I would have never predicted will stay in my thoughts forever. Somehow, it all worked out as the sincere words of their whispers felt authentically filled with love. They created memories that I’ll remember for years to come.
My favorite memories will always be made by irrational and honest friends at a time way later than we probably should be awake.
Honesty is created by delirium and tired eyes, and the late-night conversations hold the memories of my life.
