My science teacher accused me

playfully and yet fiercely

of stealing an envelope

I had been threatening to peel the cover strip off of the sticky part

so it glues together

because it was just so tempting.

The last thing that brought a smile to my lips was a school hallway interaction. A girl who I'd never seen passed me, and gave me the biggest smile. It quite literally felt like sunlight seeping to my core.

We try to stay quiet

despite the class being

nearly empty,

silent.

Muffle our laughter,

lower our heads,

cover our mouths,

attempting to

suppress our stalling.

Difficult

The last time I smiled was when I was sitting on my living room floor. I was on my living room floor smiling and laughing with my sister about how I need to get my grades up.

A recluse and a homebody, little entices me to step outside like I do when water falls from the sky. The smell of fresh grass and wet pavement is magic to the senses. But the experience of being surrounded by it all is another.

I sit with a smile on my lips, my brother—Abu—

beside me as the kettle begins to sing.

Moomins fill the screen, hattifatteners too.

The TV light painting over my blue.