When You Find Out the World Is Against You

I was going to leave this mask on forever. Paint the outside of it with “Fuck off,” grow my hair down to my feet, and never hang around humans again.

I giggled, feeling slightly in love, which I recognized immediately as a default setting on my brain to any sudden positive attention. Very troubling.

My character is bold, but she hides her cards. She doesn’t need to let anyone know who she wants, she just gets him.

I tasted the salty snot pouring down the back of my throat and into my mouth.

I’ve always been uncomfortable in my own skin, but I wasn’t gonna get pushed around.

I’m kind of an avalanche in the way that I just arrive without warning and smother you and maybe kill you.

It’s like how all the great stories are about orphans because all the really great stuff can only happen to kids when their parents aren’t around.

“Fine. I’m going to Stephanie’s to see if she’s still there, but I’m pretty sure she went to Camp Chapawee because she’s the middle kid and her older sister did all the work for her!”

My parents, Aunt Susan, and Gram all came down the basement stairs of the cabin to see, sure enough, there was a wood duck sitting on the floor, breathing very heavily. It was the only time my entire family would be in a basement together

The second child does not have to do any crusading. Nothing. Entitled and lazy assholes, all of them.