she’s the type
of girl to
grind your
heart into little
pieces and roll it
then smoke it
right in front of you

grab me
shake me from this sleep
look past my stone gaze
climb inside my hollow head
extract the cold from within

hold my hands
squeeze them
return the flow of blood
turn them blue
so long as you hold them

7:58am
I climb the stairs and turn left
where he waits for her to get her books
He gives me a heedless smile
and I turn right

11:23am
I sit on the marble floor
as I finish my banana
I take a walk
un-ironically so that I pass him
He's laughs beside her
as I fade into the background

2:17pm
I sway side to side
watching from the outside in
as they heal and I break
she tells him to have a good night
and gets on the bus

2:30pm
I sit alone
waiting for my mother
after school hours
it is only the two of us
he sits beside me
and asks how I've been
I say I could be better

2:39pm
He tells me that if I ever need anything
he's always around
His voice urges me to tell him what's wrong
but I laugh sheepishly and murmur a thank you

2:45pm
I receive a text from my mother saying "10 mins"
I put my phone away and give my full attention to him
He receives a text saying "Hey babe"
and mishears what I said
We sit in silence
as I study his fingers tapping away
and wonder how he could be so ******* stupid

Here’s to the boy
who waited for a girl
on his front door step
until she came home
after leaving without sound

Here’s to the girl
who has to hide her urges
behind a glass door
the strength to put down the razor
after shaving her legs

Here’s to the girl
who receives deluded comments
on the length of her skirt
from her own mother

Here’s to the boy
who didn’t have a father growing up
but is teased
because he’s more comfortable being friends with girls

Here’s to the girl
who finds solace
in people who are temporary

Here’s to the boy
that doesn’t feel safe
in his own home

Here’s to all the kids
who have been told it is wrong to feel
the way they feel
like our emotions are fishhooks
that need to be
reeled in

Here’s to you
Here’s to me
Here’s to anyone who has ever had
their heart crushed beneath the heel
of someone they loved

You are loved
You are important
You’ve made it this far
and you can make it even farther
have strength
and

Here’s to you