There’s a sign posted outside of the classroom door,
Printed in big, bolded, letters
Forming the words:
“No Phones.”

What?
No phones?
A student, a girl, to be more specific,
Has her phone out in class.
“No phones.”
“But I need to text my mom!”
Excuses, excuses.

What?
No phones?
A student, a boy, to be more specific,
Has his phone out in class.
“No phones.”
“But I need to text my dad!”
Excuses, excuses.

“No phones.”
“I need to text the girl who never replies.
I need to call the girl who never answers.”
The room falls silent.
A heavy, chest crushing,
Silence.

A few days before,
A girl was found hanging by a thread.
She was the girl who needed to text her mom in class.

“No phones.”
“I need to talk to the boy who never speaks,
I need to contact the boy who never goes out.”
Again,
The room falls silent.
A bone crunching, skull splitting,
Silence.

A few days after the girl,
A boy was found with a bullet in his head.
He was the boy who needed to text his dad in class.

Wait.
What was that?
No phones?