When this is all over, I’m going to the mall, to Vera Bradley

Where I’ll touch all the bookbags and lunchboxes

All the red, yellow, and pink splatches of color and sleek designs.

And I’ll see my friends. I’ll touch them, too!

And we’ll have sleepovers again. We’ll go to bed at eleven,

We’ll eat junk food right out of the bag and not even care about germs.

We’ll paint each other’s nails, laughing and talking about boys.

We’ll sit close together, much closer than 6 feet, #notsocialdistancing.

We’ll listen to music and dance, Fortnite dances,

The Hype and the Orange Julius, our arms crisscrossing.

Cool kids! And we’ll laugh outloud!

We will lie on the floor, cross our arms,

And when a friend pushes down on us

Our true laughter will explode in the air!

I’ll eat a restaurant again, like Torre,

Guacamole and chips

Mango and coconut ice tea

Cool delight on my throat

Of course, I’ll go with my friends.

We’ll have a contest to see who can drink the mango tea faster.

Somebody will probably spit it out and it’ll be funny,

Loud laughs that make our cheeks hurt from scrunching up

From so much … JOY!

EllaMary Groller

Age 10, Grade 5

Arts Academy Charter Middle School

Salisbury Township