they call it hope

school hated me

my glasses

my clothes

my hair

the way I walked

my smile

my height

my skin

the way I cried

my eczema

my name

my accent

no one looked when drew

showed up

until someone did

my cheek was on the

floor

along with my

pride and

tears

but one pair of eyes didn't

look away.

she watched everything

then the bell rang

my heart cracked

and she walked

away

to the office.

a feeling

grew inside me

as I picked myself up

from the floor

where I was no longer

scattered

and lost

the feeling didn't

burn it

bloomed and

grew and

bled into

my skin

my veins

my being

I didn't know the feeling.

that feeling

they call it

hope

it suffocated me

in the warmest cocoon

of protection.

I breathed air for the

first time

that wasn't laced

with malice

and worry

and pain.

I couldn't break the barrier

down

the walls were too high

we built them too

strong

but she could break it

she could

help.

the feeling suffocates me

they call it hope

I want it to be my reality.

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