She remembers 6th grade

days dragged on and on until

 She felt like everything was gone.

 “you look like a 7-year-old” they said

“try hard” they said

“my necklace is made out of real gold”. They said

It was this way for a long time without her noticing

Too innocent for her grade

 So she pushed herself into the box they had made.

The teachers and the girls

With shiny pearls

Whispers in the locker rooms and hallways

Making her feel like she had no way

Out.

It was this way for a long time without her noticing

As if she shouldn’t have a doubt.

Looking at herself in a broken mirror

trying to make the image before her just a little bit clearer

Counselor sessions and unwanted lessons

Striving for something to last

Shattered on the floor like glass

She said how many friends and she soon

Realized she didn’t really have any,

It was that way for a long time without her noticing,

Thinking it was her fault

Maybe I was provoking him

Allowing his arrogance to pervade her body while the truth,

Sat in the booth at the party she was never invited to

His eyes were locked on hers as his hands run up her thigh

She thought he was high and he laughed

As he snatched her dignity away

She snapped a photograph

It was that way for a long time without her noticing

Soon she found an open door

On the other side were lovely people that she adores

that didn’t make fun of her large pores

You see, even though it wasn’t great for a while

She ended with a smile

It was this way for a while without her noticing