You Should See Me in a Crown

by Leah Johnson

“An illegal hit by Rachel Collins has taken out Lightning Lighty!”

This isn’t the most tolerant place on Earth,

not only queer but you’re also black,

intersectionality and all that def...

it ha...

“But I’m not going to ask you to come out before you’re ready if it means you’ll be unsafe. I would never do that to you.”

Among some it is not safe

Like maybe things don’t need to be exactly as I’ve imagined them. Like maybe in this universe I’ve suddenly found myself in, things could be different. I could be different.

Everything is so much more magnificent and complicated than I had initially budgeted for.

life

I can feel it everywhere, the way the warmth spreads through my body, the way my heart feels like

it’s no longer the right size for my chest.

“Do you want to be my girlfriend?”

ahhhh

likes of the help

racist classict

Rachel wouldn’t get to live out this little fairy tale where she rules the kingdom and the rest of us are her little serfs,”

The queen is supposed to be the best among us: the smartest, the most beautiful, the worthiest. But the people who win are rarely the people who deserve it.

if I asked you to help me make sure that no one like Rachel wins this year, would you?” “You know what?” His nose crinkles up as he smiles. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Indiana rich is a little quieter but no less impressive to me.

but I didn’t ask her to pretend I don’t even exist. Every good feeling I was collecting immediately evaporates

feeling shift quickly

Joining the race and then dropping out or going to a party without a game plan and strategy are decisions that have no consequences in her life.

High stakes for non privileged folks

“What letter?”

I gave the letter to Gabi, and—”

custom floor plans designed for people who wanted homes so new no one had so much as sneezed inside them before they moved

rich

jarred by the difference between her world and my own.

privilege

fear of ever being humiliated like that again,

forcing myself to the fringes, hiding in the tiny protective bubble

afraid to wear my hair a certain way for fear of standing out and maki...

didn’t want to seem too smart or too bold or too ...

thinking that I wasn’t go...

I never really learned how to say when enough is

need that

“Did you know you have the chance to be the first black queen in Campbell history?”

uppity much frenchi might as well be saying

I know Amanda is out there.

I thought she dropped out

“Bonfire at my place this weekend, Lighty. You coming?”

CAUTION!

“Is no one going to ask how Liz is doing? Your student was just the victim of a hate

crime, for goodness’ sake.”

All your students are talking about the obstruction of justice, the blatant homophobia, that is occurring at your institution.

hate

“Your job is to be his sister, not his doctor or his caretaker. You let me do that.”

Sister not caretaker

We feel, but we always fight. It’s the Lighty Way.

They may think what they wanna think, but they won’t do the kind of stuff they used to do back then.”

Hopefully not

Liz Lighty, will you go to prom with me?

Promposal