Walking into the junior High for the first time.
I didn't know what would happen in this year that was hiding behind the gate of middle school.
Everybody walks into the Junior High wearing a tight cage around them, keeping them captured.
The oldest grade in the elementary wears the crown, feeling like they own the grades below.
But, moving to junior high can be a hard challenge.
Everybody looks at the large figure towering above us called judgement.
Cold, dark thoughts running through its mind.
Shrinking down like a mouse when it stares a rush of evil thoughts into our heads.
How It bends forward into our ears to whisper every single thought that someone might think about us.
Walking through the halls with its black, ripped up cloak holding everybody captive underneath.
Tapping at us darkly if we forget that it is there.
I'm as shy as ever walking across the halls, but I've learned how to walk into a bakery smelling the sweet smell of friendship or walk into a room filled with 1000 cats that I want to have.
There is air that we can breath through, but we all need to hold our breath through some of the process if we have to.
I've held my breath for much of this year, but I can let go and breath if I want to now.
Junior High is school right? Not some popularity contest.
Everybody realizes that you should be who you are, not some made up person.
That thought has gone over my mind this year like a summarizing point that convinces me to listen to it.
And every time I turn away from this, it follows me, so I should be walking straight at it instead of away from it.
And once I walk straight towards the thought, I walk into a room with a cabinet.
I open the cabinet contained with all the supplies I need for the end of the year.
I now have the scissors to cut the cage around me making me loose and relaxed.
Being crowned an eighth grader will excite us for next year, and judgement can walk out of our heads to the exit sign of our classroom.