I grip my sudsy scalp, trying to wash out every whisper of his skin, his breath, his convincing words and broken promises. This isn’t the usual small circles, a gentle lather. It’s jolted and furious and directionless, how I felt when I first found myself falling in love with him. I told him no and…
I only have five rules. The rule of thumb: I refuse to be diminished, destroyed, or derailed by men. The rule of forefinger: I am my own number one. The rule of middle finger: fuck apologizing for things I’m not sorry for. The rule of ring finger: I am more than the ring that may…
I saw Dad claw his left shoulder and slide to the hardwood floor. Enormous ambulance men simultaneously asked me what happened and shoved me aside. Since then, I swore I’d never fall into the habit, but being part of Sam’s everything came to include cigarettes. Suddenly they were around the house, in my purse, constantly…
Today, I check the box To choose what’s best for me I elect to never settle I stand by a vote of confidence in myself I’ll speak if I want to I’ll smile if I want to I’ll leave if I want to You can tilt your head You can wonder how I’m so sure…
Along came November, not a single expectation in sight. Before was October, skeptical that you’d text, but managing a word here or there. In September there was some hope, some rebalancing and figuring out where we fit each other. August was our bittersweet denouement, spending every possible moment together, as if that could ward off…
There seems to be some magical age when a kiss becomes significant. Most people’s actual first kiss doesn’t “count” because it happened in the kindergarten sandbox, before they really knew what it meant. And then there’s me. I’ve always told myself my first kiss didn’t “count” because it happened with another girl, even though we’d…
Victim to Charm 