These are the kids I grew up with
Close as a family with all the love, and the fights, and beautiful summer nights

Playing together at the nearest park
Hide and seek till it got dark
And our mom’s finally said
“you’re going home, its time for bed”
And we had to listen
Or face terrible time outs
So we’d go home and we’d shout

See you tomorrow or maybe after
But I’ll see you again for the shrieks of laughter
And you know, I’ll see you again
And then maybe we can finish the game

And there came a next time and a time after
Swinging up and down, running with laughter
We would slide down and then climb back up
Illegal maneuvers and hey no that’s cheting
Do that again and you’ll get a beating
But nobody ever, ever did
Cuz we laughed and we played and we got along
Girls and boys and all didn’t matter
When we were all together and we would shout

See you tomorrow or maybe after
But I’ll see you again for the shrieks of laughter
And you know, I’ll see you again
And then maybe we can finish the game

And you know that we never did
Because there was always a new game to play
And now I wish we could back to those unlimited possibilities


Because nowadays its homework and after
I’ve got practice, band lessons and after
Maybe, but you know I should go home

Phone calls last only two minutes
I miss the ten hours that could be dedicated to you
And me and all our friends when we’d shout

See you tomorrow or maybe after
But I’ll see you again for the shrieks of laughter
And you know, I’ll see you again
And then maybe we can finish the game

But now it only happens after
All the plans we make are a disaster
But still I love you guys the same way
I wish we could still play everyday

But what I wouldn’t give to go back to when after meant call u in an hour
Cuz u kno, we’ve had nothing better to do
Summer days meant 5 hours at the pool
Drawing with chalk was time well spent
O but now, I’ve got summer reading to do

But I’ll see you tomorrow or maybe after
see you again for the shrieks of laughter
And you know, I’ll see you again
And then maybe we can finish the game

Or forever just go on pretending
Nothing has changed, that our world isn’t ending
Even though
People are leaving home
Spreading out across the country
Leaving us behind, finding new friends

But please promise me there’ll be an after
Even if we only get an hour
Because I can never forget
That we still have to finish the game