i dyed my hair blond.

i thought you might like it,

because you always talk about her blond hair

and how soft it was

that one time last year

when she let you pin it up for her first school dance.

it’s not natural and might not be as soft,

but it’s still blond.

i bought some combat boots

because a few months ago

you told her how cool you thought hers were

even though you know as well as i do

that she’s had them for years,

ever since you bought them for her in sixth grade.

mine don’t have the same mud splatters

and the laces aren’t as frayed,

but they’re still boots.

and i finally threw away

that old beatles t-shirt

that hasn’t fit me for years,

that you said looked ratty

and not “vintage” like i claimed it was.

and now she’s dyed her hair

the same deep chocolate

that mine used to be.

she wears my old sneakers

and stole the beatles shirt from the trash

and yet

you still talk about

the softness of her hair,

the style of her clothes,

the gleam in her eyes

like it’s something new and exciting

that you’ve never seen before.

i wonder what it’s like to be the favorite.

Hannah Kurczeski

Age 17, Grade 11

Catasauqua High School

Catasauqua School District