After class

Last summer, in the same space, I felt like I no longer belonged there, like returning to an elementary school you once attended.  A week-and-a-half ago, same space, it was home again.  It's mine, I've freed and bared my soul between those walls.  I've earned that.

Tonight, spontaneous five-minute story of your life from birth until this moment.  Feedback.  Vulnerability.  I want to know everyone.  And walking down the block with a classmate after, we both thought we should close down the energy before walking outside.  Especially there.  Gotta put the armor back on, cover up.  Then flashing lights down the block.  She walks me to the next corner, turns to go back to her car.  I see more flashing lights on this block.  Pine Street blocked, cordoned off.  My bus comes up the street, I run to catch it.  It reeks of old, hot urine, and the heat is blasting, making it worse, but I get on it and sit.  I hear it was a shooting.

Two friends get on at the third stop.  One sits next to me and we talk.  After a while, you get used to the smell, and it's a fast bus ride at night.  Away.  Away.  Away.