Promise.

I watched my friends die.

I watched them as they ate less, as they let words into their heads and hate into their minds.

I watched them cry and shake with fear as they read the headlines.

"They killed a boy on the street."

"A boy that looked like me."

A boy that was Black.

A boy that was told he was free.

"They're telling everybody that I'm delusional, that I'm a disease, something bad."

"Our former president said we should be banned."

A girl with big, trembling hands.

A girl who was trans.

I watched them as they flinched, those hands covering their ears as the door to the classroom bangs against the lock. I watched them try to breathe, try to feel.

"It's okay, it's just a drill, it's not real."

"They made it legal to carry a gun without a safety class."

"God, this day might be my last."

"63 shootings in 29 days, it's happening so fast."

I watched you promise me life. I watched you promise me liberty. I watched you promise me the pursuit of happiness, press, religion, petition-

I'm just 16. I'm just a kid.

I know nothing about politics.

But you broke all those promises.

And all I can be is silent.