it was an exciting prospect
at first.
and then it became
hierarchies
and numb feelings and
several tragic cases
of teenage vanity.

some of them were so
caught up in themselves.
others were caught
in their minds,
cold and watching,
waiting,
for it all to end.

it was all about two things:
beauty and grades.
nothing in between.
perhaps we cried
over the shades of gray
that never were.