Marie Duedahl

Boys will be boys?

Is that even something

people still say?

I thought that cliché had died.

In 1955.

UGLY GIRLS
The next day everybody is talking about our list.
The whole school has seen it.
I get lots of high fives from girls.
Even from girls I don’t know.
Girls whom I thought
sided with The Trumps.
Those girls actually exist.
Jason and Theo are angry.
They try to act cool
but they hate us.
I can see it in their eyes.
It’s a bit odd, actually.
Our list is not
exactly insulting.
But to them it is.
Girls are not supposed
to answer back.
Girls are meant to smile, shut up
and be pretty while doing it.
Later the same day
everybody in class
receives

Girls are not supposed

to answer back.

Girls are meant to smile, shut up

and be pretty while doing it.

“Special as in special.
One of a kind.”

I can’t help smiling.
Normally not my style.
But nobody has ever called me beautiful before.
I look like Darth Vader’s
child with Death.

ow’s words are gnawing at me.

Snow’s words are gnawing at me.

I steal a glance at Amy.

We get lots of thumbs up.

But none from The Trumps.

Amy’s mom looks at my shoes.

So I take them off.

She looks at my hair.