Gali

There should be a word

For ages thirteen through seventeen.

There should be a word

Like childhood or adulthood

That describes

Being a teenager.

Adolescence is one, yes

But it doesn't fit.

Girlhood is texting your crush because it's late at night and you don't know any better. 

Girlhood is staring way too hard at the prettiest girl in class. 

i always have been, ever since the label of

"gifted" was mantled above my head in neon letters, 

proudly displaying me to a world where

mediocrity was rejected &

I am 13

I am in 7th grade.

I like school. Most of the time.

I am quite good at school.

I'm in all the advanced classes offered. 3 years ahead in Math, 3 years ahead in my English vocab, and on the hardest History track.

I’m sorry that I wasn’t the rings to your Saturn,

because Saturn had cracked into two;

I’m sorry that I slipped salt into your sugar,

yet your sugar was bitter, I cried too.

I’m sorry that you never learned to care,

Growing up when I was younger, I was raised in a very homophobic, transphobic family. I was taught that being anywhere on the LGBTQ spectrum was evil and would send you to hell.