The Right Time (to give up a “friend”)

by Victoria Hsu, 13

My suitcase holds my rage 

It bangs on the hard grey plastic 

Roaring to be let out

Purple is the color of betrayal

Bubbling in my gut, an Erlenmeyer flask

I inhale the stench of truth

Bitter as black coffee

No matter what I do

It is never enough for her

I see her with the popular girls

Her mouth moving with quick desperation

Maybe if she speaks quickly enough

They will consider her one of them

I watch her from the front of the bus

My heart squeezing with sadness

I knew this was going to happen

I just didn’t want to know it was going to happen

And so I stuck with her anyway

Out of my misplaced heart

So I’m going to let go

Not only for myself, but she needs to see 

what happens when the wall protecting her from heartbreak 

Isn’t me