Happy chatter
strangers
I smile, pretend
I feel a part of things
though I do not
Your effort to draw me in
fails
and I’m more aware of our differences
I long to remove myself
from the awkwardness
but circumstances hold me hostage
Just another 20 minutes
Just another 10
Three hours of pacing before I can flee
free to return to the familiar
the safe places
where I don’t have to
pretend
Pretend
