By Antigone Lambros, age 14
I once knew a boy.
He was curiosity
and strong coffee,
determination,
and blues music.
Dark skin and dark lashes,
he was mysterious.
The whole school
was in the palm of his hand
waiting
waiting
for fireworks to go up.
They went up,
but they went up in flames.
He met her
and it changed him.
There were things she didn't tell him
and he never forgave her.
He listened to blues music in his backyard,
I asked if he had a phone,
he looked at me curiously,
and then said no,
he'd thrown it away.
He told me
that things should be different
that it's stupid,
everyone dancing after mascara eyes
trying to be the same person,
the same blond hair,
the same tan skin
because how are we supposed to live that way?
We aren't supposed to live that way.
We can't live that way.
I didn't listen to that boy.
I knew he was right.
I knew that deep down,
I knew.
I didn't really care
who was dating Maggie
or how much Katie weighed.
But that boy knew it all the way.
He knew it all the way.
***
About the Author
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