Aburasoba by Cody Cook

Everyone thinks I should hate you

so I pretend I do.

I roll my eyes when I say your name,

but I still say it.

I wish I could text you and ask

if you want to go get ramen tonight

and stand in the long line

and order the same thing.

Except that one time

that you ordered for us

and got the wrong thing.

It was still good but we both laughed

when I said it tasted like chili mac.

You’d make me a mud water

and lecture me about drinking coffee.

You’d tell me how anxious you are

about the DMV, so I’d go with you

and spend my whole day off

waiting for your name to be called,

and we’d reward ourselves by going rock climbing,

But agree that we don’t feel like climbing,

we feel like getting ramen again.

Before we leave we’d agree to do one more route.

You’d make me try the one

that scares the shit out of me,

and I couldn’t finish it last time,

but you’d make me do it again,

until I do.

I wish we could go thrift shopping

And resume our quest to make me feel stylish.

You’d make me buy something yellow,

And talk me into a piercing.

Then we go out dancing in our new fits

and talk to five strangers each.

I gave up on my hair,

but I hope you’d be proud

that I’m still wearing the piercing.

Sometimes I go

to the last place I saw you

and still order the same thing.

Cody Cook is a writer based out of St. Louis, Missouri. He has been published by Farewell Transmission and Blood + Honey Lit Mag. His first chapbook, Kenosis, is forthcoming. He is the founder of Dozing Penitent Productions which can be found on most socials under @dozingpenitent