p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"I drew a picture today. My teacher never paid any attention to my doodles. Except today. She asked me what it was. I told her that it was a drawing. She smiled at me and asked what it was of. I told her that it was of a door on a wrist. A door of pain. She frowned at me. I don't think she liked my picture. The other students saw my picture, too. It made them mad./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"My teacher asked me whose wrist it was of. I said that it was mine. She asked me why I had a door of pain on my wrist. I told her that it was because I wanted to unlock the door of numbness. She asked me why. I told her that it was because my chest hurt. And that was the only way to make it stop hurting./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"I had to sit in the back of the class for the rest of the day. And my mom had to pick me up from school early./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"The next day, I wrote a poem. It was about doors. About how they unlock different feelings. The door of pain unlocked numbness. The door of numbness unlocked happiness. The door of happiness unlocked sadness. And the door of sadness unlocked me. I had to read it out loud. Everyone hated it. I had to sit in the back of the classroom again. And my mom picked me up from school early./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"My mom asked me if I was having trouble at school. I told her yes. I told her that everyone hates my drawings. And my poems. And I told her that everyone makes fun of me because I wear long sleeved shirts. When it's 90 degrees outside. She frowned at me and uncovered my wrists. It made her sad. Because I had lines on my wrists./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"She asked what the lines were. I told that they were doors. Doors?, she asked me. Doors of pain, I responded. Because doors of pain unlock doors of numbness. And doors of numbness unlock doors of happiness. And doors of happiness unlock doors of sadness. And the door of sadness unlocks me. She took me to a hospital./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"A mental hospital, she called it. I made a friend there. An adult friend. He wanted to know about my feelings. So I told him about doors instead. I got sent home. But my mom said that I had to go back the next day./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"The next day I had to sit in the back of the class because I answered a question wrong. The question was where I wanted to live when I grew up. I answered, down below where the man underground lives. My mom had to pick me up early./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"I also had to go meet my friend at the hospital again. Today he asked me how to unlock the door of numbness. I explained that you had to get a sharp thing and make lines on your wrist until blood comes out. I told him that blood was the door of pain. He asked me why I want to open the door of numbness. I told him that it makes my chest stop hurting./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"My friend gave my mom a bottle of pills and a slip of paper. Then we had to leave. But he said to come back the next day. When we got home, my mom said that I have to take one pill everyday. I asked her what the pill was. She said that it was called Prozac. She said that it will make my chest feel better, without having to open any doors./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"The next day, my mom entered the school with me. She gave my teacher the slip of paper that my friend gave her. My teacher told everyone not to make fun of me anymore. And that they should leave me alone. Everyone did. Except for one person. A girl. Her name was Annabeth. She said that she wanted to be my friend. I told her that I wanted to be her friend for a long time, but I was too scared to ask. She told me that she wanted to be my friend for a long time, but was too scared to ask, as well. I didn't have to sit in the back of the classroom today. And my mom didn't have to pick me up early./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"I went to see my adult friend later. He asked me how school was going. I told him that it was good. That I made a new friend and that I now had two friend: Annabeth and him. He said that he was glad to be my friend. He told me to call him Mr. Brunner. So I did. He asked me how my chest felt. I told him that it still hurt. He said that's okay./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"I kept going to the hospital for two weeks, until one day something happened. Today, Annabeth was mad at me. She was mad at me because I stopped talking to her as much as I used to. I told her that I had a lot on my mind and that I was sorry. I asked her if we were still friends. She said that she wouldn't want to be friends with someone who didn't talk to her and kept secrets from her. I told her that I still want to be friends with her. She said that she'll be friends with me as long as I tell her my secrets. She promised that she'd tell me her secrets, too./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"So later we went and sat on the rocks by the lake, with our feet touching the water. I told her that she couldn't tell anyone what I was about to tell her. She nodded. So I told her everything from the beginning. The doors. The lines on my wrist. My other friend. When I finished, she didn't say anything. She rolled up my sleeves and traced the lines with her finger. Then she wrapped her arms around me and put her head beside my neck./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"I told her that it was her turn to tell her secret. She nodded. She told me that she liked me. I told her I liked her, too. But she just shook her head and said that she liked me differently. I asked her what that meant. She thought for a second and told me that she couldn't explain it in words, but in a different way. I asked her to show me. So she touched my lips with her lips. We sat there for a second. Then she pulled away. She asked if I understood what she meant. I understood perfectly. I told her that I liked her that way, too./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"I got home late. My mom asked why that was. So I told her what happened at the lake. She beamed at me. Then I told her something else. I told her that my chest didn't hurt anymore. She said that was okay and that she was proud if me. I told that to Mr. Brunner, too. He told me that now I didn't have to come see him anymore. I asked him if we were still friends. He said always./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"The next day my teacher asked me where I wanted to live when I grew up. I told her, where ever Annabeth is, is where I want to live. She smiled at me. I think I answered the question right. I drew a picture and wrote a poem today. I didn't show anyone, because it was a secret. Later, I went to the lake with Annabeth, again./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"We talked together about a lot of things. Things that we wanted to know about each other. Afterwards, I told her that I wanted to show her something. She smiled and asked what. I showed her the picture I drew in class today. It was a picture a heart with a door in the middle of it. Labeled The door of happiness./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"She put an arm around my neck and kissed me. The same way she did yesterday. She told me that she'll hang it in her room right above her bed, to remind her of me. Then I gave her the poem I wrote in class. About how the door of friendship unlocks the door of love and how the door of love unlocks the door of happiness and how the door of happiness leads to being with her./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"My teacher asked me whose wrist it was of. I said that it was mine. She asked me why I had a door of pain on my wrist. I told her that it was because I wanted to unlock the door of numbness. She asked me why. I told her that it was because my chest hurt. And that was the only way to make it stop hurting./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"I had to sit in the back of the class for the rest of the day. And my mom had to pick me up from school early./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"The next day, I wrote a poem. It was about doors. About how they unlock different feelings. The door of pain unlocked numbness. The door of numbness unlocked happiness. The door of happiness unlocked sadness. And the door of sadness unlocked me. I had to read it out loud. Everyone hated it. I had to sit in the back of the classroom again. And my mom picked me up from school early./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"My mom asked me if I was having trouble at school. I told her yes. I told her that everyone hates my drawings. And my poems. And I told her that everyone makes fun of me because I wear long sleeved shirts. When it's 90 degrees outside. She frowned at me and uncovered my wrists. It made her sad. Because I had lines on my wrists./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"She asked what the lines were. I told that they were doors. Doors?, she asked me. Doors of pain, I responded. Because doors of pain unlock doors of numbness. And doors of numbness unlock doors of happiness. And doors of happiness unlock doors of sadness. And the door of sadness unlocks me. She took me to a hospital./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"A mental hospital, she called it. I made a friend there. An adult friend. He wanted to know about my feelings. So I told him about doors instead. I got sent home. But my mom said that I had to go back the next day./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"The next day I had to sit in the back of the class because I answered a question wrong. The question was where I wanted to live when I grew up. I answered, down below where the man underground lives. My mom had to pick me up early./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"I also had to go meet my friend at the hospital again. Today he asked me how to unlock the door of numbness. I explained that you had to get a sharp thing and make lines on your wrist until blood comes out. I told him that blood was the door of pain. He asked me why I want to open the door of numbness. I told him that it makes my chest stop hurting./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"My friend gave my mom a bottle of pills and a slip of paper. Then we had to leave. But he said to come back the next day. When we got home, my mom said that I have to take one pill everyday. I asked her what the pill was. She said that it was called Prozac. She said that it will make my chest feel better, without having to open any doors./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"The next day, my mom entered the school with me. She gave my teacher the slip of paper that my friend gave her. My teacher told everyone not to make fun of me anymore. And that they should leave me alone. Everyone did. Except for one person. A girl. Her name was Annabeth. She said that she wanted to be my friend. I told her that I wanted to be her friend for a long time, but I was too scared to ask. She told me that she wanted to be my friend for a long time, but was too scared to ask, as well. I didn't have to sit in the back of the classroom today. And my mom didn't have to pick me up early./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"I went to see my adult friend later. He asked me how school was going. I told him that it was good. That I made a new friend and that I now had two friend: Annabeth and him. He said that he was glad to be my friend. He told me to call him Mr. Brunner. So I did. He asked me how my chest felt. I told him that it still hurt. He said that's okay./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"I kept going to the hospital for two weeks, until one day something happened. Today, Annabeth was mad at me. She was mad at me because I stopped talking to her as much as I used to. I told her that I had a lot on my mind and that I was sorry. I asked her if we were still friends. She said that she wouldn't want to be friends with someone who didn't talk to her and kept secrets from her. I told her that I still want to be friends with her. She said that she'll be friends with me as long as I tell her my secrets. She promised that she'd tell me her secrets, too./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"So later we went and sat on the rocks by the lake, with our feet touching the water. I told her that she couldn't tell anyone what I was about to tell her. She nodded. So I told her everything from the beginning. The doors. The lines on my wrist. My other friend. When I finished, she didn't say anything. She rolled up my sleeves and traced the lines with her finger. Then she wrapped her arms around me and put her head beside my neck./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"I told her that it was her turn to tell her secret. She nodded. She told me that she liked me. I told her I liked her, too. But she just shook her head and said that she liked me differently. I asked her what that meant. She thought for a second and told me that she couldn't explain it in words, but in a different way. I asked her to show me. So she touched my lips with her lips. We sat there for a second. Then she pulled away. She asked if I understood what she meant. I understood perfectly. I told her that I liked her that way, too./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"I got home late. My mom asked why that was. So I told her what happened at the lake. She beamed at me. Then I told her something else. I told her that my chest didn't hurt anymore. She said that was okay and that she was proud if me. I told that to Mr. Brunner, too. He told me that now I didn't have to come see him anymore. I asked him if we were still friends. He said always./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"The next day my teacher asked me where I wanted to live when I grew up. I told her, where ever Annabeth is, is where I want to live. She smiled at me. I think I answered the question right. I drew a picture and wrote a poem today. I didn't show anyone, because it was a secret. Later, I went to the lake with Annabeth, again./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"We talked together about a lot of things. Things that we wanted to know about each other. Afterwards, I told her that I wanted to show her something. She smiled and asked what. I showed her the picture I drew in class today. It was a picture a heart with a door in the middle of it. Labeled The door of happiness./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 14px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"She put an arm around my neck and kissed me. The same way she did yesterday. She told me that she'll hang it in her room right above her bed, to remind her of me. Then I gave her the poem I wrote in class. About how the door of friendship unlocks the door of love and how the door of love unlocks the door of happiness and how the door of happiness leads to being with her./p