P.E.

Today

We had P.E.

I do not mind P.E. -

I do not care -

I can play sports like any teenager

If not a little better.

There would have been no problem

Except

You had to create one, didn't you?

The drama queens of the age-old hierarchy that is middle school.

So I stepped into the gym

With my friends on either side of me;

My two friends,

Who have stood by me

All year

Even as we grow tired of each other from time to time.

We, the Three Muskateers.

And so

The game began.

Volleyball - or,

Can you even call it volleyball at this point?

More of a punt-the-ball-as-far-as-possible,

Give-each-other-concussions,

Laugh-it-off-try-to-be-cool game.

Doesn't feel like a game to me,

But who cares what I think?

Adele in the background

But it's trending,

So now, do I have to hate Adele too?

Do I have to hate Adele

Like I hate you?

So we started the volleyball game.

Not a big deal

I played volleyball

I play volleyball

And it's a good sport.

Apparently

Not anymore...

The boys

Hogged the ball.

I get it,

You're teen guys,

You're ball hogs.

Whatever.

But it made me mad when

I asked to serve

And you said no.

You said 

I couldn't:

Not once,

Not twice,

But a lot of times.

You denied me

The ball.

It maybe seem

Like a small thing

But it was absolutely absurd

How you wouldn't pass to me

Every "You suck!" hurts.

It hurts, okay?

I don't care what you think

But being bombarded by negativity

Is something I can't handle.

And so I had to fight for it.

I fought you for the ball.

Instead of giving it to you -

Playing nice - 

Letting you have it -

I raced you.

I challenged you

Because why shouldn't I get to serve, too?

Why should I have to take the crud you give me every day?

So I tackled you

Ran to the ball

To get it before you could

And I did.

Every time.

And I served it like heck, didn't I?

Your guys

Did not serve half as well.

Absolutely ridiculous.

And so you started to block me.

It started out playful

But then it wasn't.

All of you

Ganging up on me

Five different boys

Trying to block me - 

Chasing after me -

Yelling "Don't let her serve!" -

Doing everything you could

To stop me from hitting it.

You said I was hogging it.

Yes, I was.

I pass to people who treat me well.

Do you have a problem with that?

I don't have a problem with the guys -

Well, I didn't.

They've been fine all year -

Certainly better than our own preppy idiots.

We were on

The same freaking team.

Why

Are you all

So determined to hate on me

When all I've been is nice?

I'm not afraid to put my foot down

And now I have to.

I've taken your nonsense all year.

I will not let you walk all over me.

I just want

To coexist.

We don't have to be friends.

But can you please

Please

Treat me like I deserve?