She’s on the bus
the damage is done
there are worms in her hair
there are worms in her hair
her dirty dishwater blond brown scraggly hair
The boys laugh and jeer
their white teeth
sharp knives cutting the air
I giggle but really my
knees knock
I am petrified
if not her then me
there are worms in her hair
their white teeth
sharp knives cutting the air
I am invited over to play
Her mother draped on the couch
Her long curly brown hair free falling off the sides of her pillow
She is embarrassed and we run to her room
We play Barbies in her 4 story handcrafted dream house with electric elevator
Her father a carpenter made it for her and checks on us and brings snacks
We play chase the dog and run around the house yelling
I fall onto a cushion of a small chair and feel something buried beneath
A bag of orange pills
I quickly replace the cushion
it’s time to go home
I don’t call Melinda that day
She is the enemy and I am the bully
because I can’t stand up for what is right
and I don’t understand what is wrong
I want to be in and the only way to be in is for Melinda to be out
She stands at the bus stop
Her dad just kissed her bye
Her mom comatose on the couch
The sun is shining
She doesn’t see it coming
Her smile never fades
There is a boy with a special present for her
His white teeth
sharp knives into the air
the damage is done
there are worms in her hair
there are worms in her hair
her dirty dishwater blond brown scraggly hair
Melinda moved later that year
