STARFALL

- Ananyocheta

She looked at me with glowing eyes

"A star", she uttered

I beamed back

Riding high on cloud nine

Square ruled paper and neatly placed numbers in the middle,

A golden star sticker at the end of the page,

A tune flowing from my voice,

And a medal around my neck.

Tracing the dried water colour paintings,

Looking at the collage on my wall,

Little pieces torn off the "golden girl"

The most ironic sight of all.

I go back in time,

Standing before her

as she still looks with pride

The ever shining star.

The ribbons of the medals tighten around my neck,

Her prideful gaze, a curse to my present self

I hope she doesn't know who I have become

Faking consistency and a smile.

Have you already given up hope?

I thought my life wouldn't end at sixteen

But then why else would they think me a lost cause?

Give me time to breathe.

- Aritri