Footsteps all around me
I am petrified
Wafts of pepperoni
Sometimes a delight
But smell to me like burnt toast
Friends laugh together
I keep a straight face
Curled out of sight and mind
Inside my favorite wooden place
Hidden from the class
In the podium
Holding that frigid book
That keeps me nearly sane
My mouth is dry like the desert sand
No desire to eat
Fighting back tears
Nobody notices me
As the movie plays on
Alone
With people all around me
Arms around my knees
Anxiety
And unpredictability
Bounce inside my head
Bell is supposed to free us
But it doesn't help me
The day of my sister's surgery