It 60 The alarm goes off. You hit snooze. 6:10 The alarm goes off. You hit snooze 6:20 It begs you to stay in bed; for you to feel its false warmth. But you have to get going. Should you wear black or yellow today? It tells you you're hideous in both. You look in the mirror. The distorted image would be hilarious if you were in a fun house. At least, that's what it makes you think. You tentatively approach your friends. It reminds you: "They don't like you, but they're too polite to say it. You're nothing but a burden." You tell it to shut up. It doesn't. You're worn down by noon. It suggests you take a siesta. You tell It you're going to grab some food. As you eat, It whispers: "You shouldn't be eating that, you shouldn't be eating that much." You arrive home, knowing you should clean your room, make dinner, all that stuff. It sits you down on the couch for a Netflix binge. You can do your chores later. It's 90 at night. You just realized your forgotten responsibilities. Oh well, too late to do them now. It drags you up to bed, forces you to glance at your reflection. It points out how ugly it is. You want to sleep, you want so desperately to exit real #life and enter your wildest dreams. Instead, It pokes at your side as you stare blankly for hours at the white stucco ceiling. It eggs you on, getting louder and louder: "You can do it. Do it. Everyone's alseep. This is your chance. Go on. Go. Damnit, hurry up. Don't act like the world's gonna miss you!" The worst part? It becomes normal. _______ ~ C. Gallagher

Irresistable I hate you. I hate that you make me laugh, that you make me stutter and act like a total idiot. I hate how you outsmart me, I hate your witty humour, and damnit why must you be so clever. And when you plan your next move, I despise that mischeivous twinkle in your enchancing ice eyes, and the way you smile, my world stops to stare and stops to listen to your breathy laugh that echoes these brick walls. It absolutely disgusts me. You're your own type of different that lights up the room you walk in. It makes you tolerable, to say the least. And how your voice escalates when you get excited and draw everyone's attention to yourself. I guess that's kinda cute. Your name to me is a bitter sugarplum; an addiction. But I don't mind. When someone praises you, I notice your tiny smile and blush. Your awkwardness and intelligence, but comfortable in your own soft skin. It makes you…you! I like that. I like you. No, I don't. I hate you. I love you. I hate that I love you. _______ ~ C. Gallagher

A Difference Hosts Differences Roses are red, violets are blue… Wait. I lost my spot. Okay, I got it. I got it now. Roses are red, violets are blue. Amanda, watch your posture. [Pace around] Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, commonly known as ADHD. A chronic mental disorder characterized by [Subty checks phone] fidgeting and the inability to stand still or focus on things that require sustained mental- WHOA CHECK THAT OUT! That's just the medical definition, but as humans we know that to know what others know Hang on… We know that to feel? Wait… As humans, we'll never know what ailments and diseases feel like until we experience it. Doctors and psychiatrists say kids like me have trouble focusing in class and play with everything they see. And they're not wrong, for medicine is simply a form of science. But do they mention the everyday challenges? Exactly! [Grab drink and books from desk] You'll never hear them speak of how I forget a name and end up awkwardly waiting for someone else to say it, or how I go to my room to grab a pair of dang headphones and come back with literally everything but my headphones. [Carelessly drop books and drink] Or when teachers and parents call me lazy and expect me to sit still and read a book like everyone else and then expect me to learn from it and then say I'm stupid and not good enough because I don't fit their mold. So what if I play Pokémon while doing Euro? At least I remember the long-term causes of the Russian Revolution. By the way, Lillian, I LOVE your outfit. Imagine everyone in your class celebrating their sweet sixteen, and you're just turning thirteen, but suddenly…BAM! Drivers licenses, college applications, all underway and you're haphazardly thrown into the spiral along with varsity clubs and big national competitions where you're forced to dump out the contents of your head just to complete great feats your friends can accomplish in a bat of their mascara-covered eye. Well, you're not literally dumping your brain out 'cause that would be creepy and zombie-apocalypsish… You know what I mean. [Take a tissue] It leaves you to wonder why the world's out to get you, why, oh why, couldn't you be born normal. Conceived without the need to play with everything you see and forgetting about it two minutes later. [Take Lillian's food] What was I talking about? Right. The roses need watering, and violets and technically purple. I have ADHD, but it doesn't define me. ~ C. Gallagher

Feminism (noun) The belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. This is to all the men and women who display hijabs or tank tops; are stay-home parents or Marines; choose beauty or brains or both; were born in right body or the wrong one; love themselves or don't; come in all shapes and sizes; follow religion or question it; span all colours of the rainbow; are just born or a century old; live in huts or the Hamptons; went to community college or Ivy League; have affairs with many or remain a virgin; race with Hot Wheels or play House; are gay or straight or in-between or simply don't know; speak Arabic or Mandarin or Yiddish. For the people who have a story but are too afraid to share and for all who've fought for justice and received the short end. Everyone who's been told they can't because of who they are. Whose ingenuity strives for a more equal world and who ignored no voices and see no distinction, for we are all human and deserve nothing less. This is why I am a feminist. ~ C. Gallagher

If There's Nothing Else Bare toes buried on a hot beach. All-night diners where we talked for hours about how we should go to L.A. or set a world record, how we should see the next Green Day concert. Learning not from books, but by reading each other. Feet tapping to the music in our mind. I'm the cool spring and you're the bright summer; even if we fight, you're still my partner in crime. We're all getting older too soon, too fast. Don't have enough time to kick back and enjoy the ride, but if time's running out and if there's nothing else, all I need is someone like you by my side. ~ C. Gallagher #titlechallenge