There were these two boys

They were walking behind me

Close enough for me to hear.

And they knew that.

That I could hear them.

They knew I was listening

The way they complained about

breakfast, homework, our grade 8 teacher

And the size of all the girls’ tits.

Their wide yellow eyes were blind

To our intelligence, our brilliance

The way we could light up a room

They couldn’t see us as more than just flesh and bones

So with the drag of their claws

They picked us apart

Every hair, limb, lip under a microscope

Until they defined half of us as prey.

They would stare at her

Admire her figure

But still, they could only see part of the picture.

They liked her enough.

She’s hot.

The curves of her body left them salivating.

They took what they wanted

And the rest of her was left torn, broken.

She had been good enough for them

But she could no longer see herself the same way:

Pretty face, eye candy, hot stuff.

She was their moon;

They howled at her.

They defined the other half of us as nothing.

I was nothing.

Not worthy of their attention or intentions,

So I was safe.

Should I feel lucky to be unwanted?

I couldn’t help but think of myself as somehow defective.

My cup was only half full,

Or should I say half empty?

And though I didn’t want to be hunted

I didn’t want to be - nothing.

They knew I was listening

And as they walk passed they smiled

“No Offence.”