(MY) INNER MONOLOGUE Natalie Khemlal
January 12th, 2022, Wednesday You are standing at the bus stop. Alone. So far, you’ve lied to your mom about going to the store because the bus was taking forever, even though you purposely let the first one pass you by. You’ve wandered around the treelined neighborhood near your school and walked to the second bus stop down the same block to help yourself feel a little less stupid about looking hopelessly lost. Back at the same bus stop from where you previously stood, you wait. You know this area. So why is it that the most wrenching anxiety has been kicking you in the gut since you heard they were coming to pick you up? You’d think that over the years, you would’ve learned to get used to it, knowing it won’t be going away anytime soon. Your hands are becoming increasingly red and frozen by the minute. Your face is now pale-ish and frigid. Your mask isn’t really helping. Deciding to keep it on anyway, you don’t pity yourself, you’ve learned not to. Waiting was never a specialty of yours, but you remain patient. Something in your black coat, keeping only the upper part of you warm, rings – your phone. The same ringtone you’ve had since 7th grade is going off. You don’t think you will ever change it, considering it’s a piece of nostalgia you have left, often taking it for granted. Call from: Clyde <3 Answering, on the other line, you hear the sounds of bustling people and other cars and trucks and all sorts of different vehi-
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