Verse 1) Three weeks and two mornings of sleeping past dawn. Twenty-three days till the summer is gone. Got my hallway combination memorized tight. Practicing my walk so it looks just right. But my head isn't clear and my thoughts start to stray. To a kid from last year who is too far away. He was joking around by the water fountain. Now finding his face feels like climbing a mountain. (Pre-Chorus) Group chats are buzzing with supply list demands. I’m just watching the clock spinning around its hands. Because my chest gets tight when I picture the floor. Hoping he's still gonna walk through that door. (Chorus) Twenty-three days till the first morning bell. Twenty-three days of this middle school hell. Did his family pack up, is he gone for good? Will I spot him right there where he always stood? The stakes are much higher in seventh grade now. And the nerves in my stomach won't quiet down. (Verse 2) Scrolling through pictures and old social feeds. Wondering who else his attention receives. If our eyes happen to meet across the cafeteria space. Will a shadow of memory cross over his face? I’m trapped in the gap, neither little nor grown. Standing right on the edge of the completely unknown. Faking a smile, trying not to look stressed. With a twenty-three day countdown trapped in my chest. (Verse 3) My mind keeps resetting to that final camp night. With the wood piled up and the bonfire bright. The best vibe of summer under Pali's dark skies. With the smoke in our hair and the sparks in our eyes. We sat shoulder to shoulder on the log in the chill. Singing campfire songs while the forest went still. He ate a messy s'more even though we hate chocolate. Just to laugh with me there, and I’ll never forget it. (Pre-Chorus) Group chats are buzzing with supply list demands. I’m just watching the clock spinning around its hands. Because my chest gets tight when I picture the floor. Hoping he's still gonna walk through that door. (Bridge) If we end up in the exact same advisory room, I'll pretend I'm not drowning in worry and gloom. Will we ever share stories by a fire again? Or did that smoky night bring it all to an end? My pulse will be thumping, my breathing will shake. A seventh-grade chapter for both of us to make. One glance could instantly make my world start to blur. Or it could fix everything just the way that we were. (Chorus) Twenty-three days till the first morning bell. Twenty-three days of this middle school hell. Did his family pack up, is he gone for good? Will I spot him right there where he always stood? The stakes are much higher in seventh grade now. And the nerves in my stomach won't quiet down. (Outro) Twenty-three days. Is he coming back? Sparks in the dark, or a faded track? Three days, two nights. Yeah, twenty-three days. No chocolate, just jokes. Just twenty-three days. Burning inside of me. ───
