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Popcorn Was My Dinner

I was about to graduate 8th grade and was at a friend's house when I met the boy who was staying across the street for the summer. He lived in Alaska and was visiting his grandparents. My friend informed me the next day that he was interested in me. I told her she could give him my phone number. We talked on the phone once before going out a few days later. The plan was that my mom would drive us to the movies and his sister would pick us up. We were dropped off early because he told my mom he wanted to surprise me by taking me out to dinner. We got into the restaurant, he looked at the menu and said, "This is too expensive" and we walked out. Popcorn was my dinner. We found our seats and started chatting, he seemed bored by what I was saying. He interrupted me and asked, "What do you like to do when you go to the movies?" I was confused, "What do you mean?" He responded in an accusatory tone, "I mean when you go to the movies do you actually W...

Oxygen Returns

Phone calls in the middle of school days Holding my breath in between them No invitations to birthday parties Having to stay at soccer practice or he can't play Spending the day in the principal's office Begging him to use his words not his body Other kids provoking him to get him in trouble Not making it through a day of day camp Teasing other kids because he has been teased Talking about things that freak other kids out Unwilling to read for 10 minutes Saying he is no good and no one loves him Coming home crying, "I had a bad day and I'm stupid!" Leaving SSTs and IEPS in tears Learning to breathe and count to 10 Walking to school and enjoying it Making new friends Understanding how to have conversations with peers Principals & teachers who have his back and teach him to be kind because they are kind Abandoning soccer and enjoying baseball Kids like having him on their team New families enjoy having him over, "He is polite and swe...