Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance.

I nod like I’m listening,like we’re communicating, and she never knows the difference.

Having a friend made everything else suck less.

So, she tells me, the words dribbling out with the cranberry muffin crumbs, commas dunked in her coffee.

I swallowed the fear. It’s always there– fear– and if you don’t stay on top of it, you’ll drown. I swallowed again and stood tall, shoulders broad, arms loose. I was balanced, ready to move. My body said, “Yeah, you’re bigger and stronger, but if you touch this, I will hurt you.

Sometimes I think high school is one long hazy activity: if you are tough enough to survive this, they'll let you become an adult. I hope it's worth it.

Gym should be illegal. It's humiliating.