You Should See Me in a Crown

by Leah Johnson

one with a blue square and a yellow equal sign in the middle that looks familiar but I can’t quite place,

The other mandatory volunteer activity I could have been assigned to this week was even more useless than normal—writing letters to elderly cats with acid reflux, which would be read to them by their caregivers.

It’s like a cross between Friday Night Lights and Gossip Girl:

to broker peace between the Manga Club and the Anime Club

brand new Yeezy hoodie.”

As we drove, Jordan wound through the streets of Campbell like someone who owns it, window down, tapping his hand on his door and nodding along to the new Cardi B song on the radio. He drove in silence, exactly the speed limit, never going above or below except to slow to a stop at a red light and accelerate at a green one.

“Mia Thermopolis? From The Princess Diaries?” Lucy asks, and I keep staring blankly.

“I mean, have you guys seen Drumline?” And like, yes, Drumline and The Princess Diaries are in two totally different worlds, but still.

I glance away and swallow a lump in my throat, because I hate this. I hate that it’s still true. That despite everything, I still can’t tell people. Past the prom thing, past the Amanda thing, I’m just not ready yet.