Associative

Associative.

A property of multiplication and addition.

We had just learned it the week before

our final exam.

She had moved away a few years ago,

Waving to us from the dusty window of her car   .

I remember how the tires screeched on the road

leaving tracks that would stay forever.

I was sad at first,

but it didn’t take long for me to move past it.

She would always write to me,

making sure she told me of all her new adventures.

New school, new friends.

She hadn’t forgotten about me.

We were still close, just differently.

As the shrill bell rang that day,

I picked up my notebook

and stuffed it in my backpack.

The test had read, what is the associative property?

It’s a regrouping that doesn’t change the value.