Leaving

The sizzling blacktop burned my shoes as I watched the younger girls jump rope a few steps away, under the only tree in this dump. I remember when I did that. When I had friends. But it was so long ago, back when I went to school here and loved it. Now it's just gone.

The stupid community center is the main place kids hang out these days. By kids, I mean first to seventh grade, and the eighth graders just stay at home. I don't, though.

The city knocked down my school and replaced it with this melting pot of tiny pests.

They said, "What's wrong with moving to a whole 'nother town just for learning 'cause you can't pay for private school? What's so bad about leaving all your friends and family back here? I don't see a problem with that."

Well. Maybe they didn't say it exactly that way.

But it's how I felt.