and i bite down on my tongue
and the shaking stops.
i don't know if the shaking
comes from the cold
or the anxiety of peoples eyes,
but all i know, is that the shaking comes back
twice as fast as before
and now it's spreading
from my teeth
               to my jaw,
                     to my hands,
                          to my fingertips.
                               my knees are buckling.
                                           my ankles are tightening
                                                      my chest is heaving.
every breath that leaves my lungs
comes out quivering.
and now i think i can taste blood,
so i shove my hands deeper into my pockets
and pull my shoulders up higher.

"it's just the cold."
"i'm fine."