after class ended,
people went their different ways

she cleaned up her desk,
placing her books into her bag,

she stood up, pushed her chair in
but as she stood up to walk to the door,

someone sticks out their foot, she trips
and drops her bag, books spilling out,
pencils and pens rolling out.

people laugh all around her, kicking her
belongings around.  nobody helps her.

they just…watch.  

watch her pick up her books, neatly
stacking them, collecting her spilled
pencils and pens, placing them back
in her bag, zipping her bag and standing
up again.  

she avoids their eyes and rushes out
of the classroom, blocking out all
sounds: laughs, jeering, giggling.

all of it.

she runs up the stairs, up, up, up.
she keeps running until she’s
surrounded by silence.  

she breathes heavily, catching her
breath.  heaving.  she walks to the
end of the hallway, opening a door
at the very end.  and closing it
behind her.  

she locks it.  
she closes all the curtains.
she blocks all light and sound.
she erases everything.

she hits her back against the back wall
and slides down, pushing herself to the ground

and cries.