Hayley Rawls

The clock is taking sides again.

It keeps choosing math.

I draw a star beside my name

and shade it halfway black.

My headphones wait inside my bag.

One song until the bus.

The bell rings out. I zip it shut.

The afternoon is ours.

I typed “hey”

then took it back.

Three small letters

felt like a lot.

So here they are,

in purple pen.

Maybe tomorrow

I’ll try again.

Rain makes roads down the window.

I pick one drop to win.

It joins another halfway down.

I start the race again.

My song ends before we get home.

The sky is almost blue.

I press the little arrow back.

Some things are better on loop.