Bus Number Eight

Bus number eight pulls into

the Skillin School parking lot

with Shorty behind the wheel and

he smiles his bad teeth smile and

I can see the sweat gathering on

his shiny bald head but then

the big girl pushes me out of the way

with her thick chubby arms

and takes her place near the front of the bus but then I

notice Ben is sitting near the front and I go

to sit next to him because he's my best friend

but the big girl says

you

are

a

boy

lover

so I sit next to her instead and then

the big boys strut to the back because

they are ten and I am only seven and

they kick my bag when they walk by

and laugh at me until

I make the mistake of opening my bag and the big girl

sees something shiny so she wants it but

I don't want her to want it but she's

huge so I let her take it and

my eyes are filling with tears so I look at Ben and

he yells at the big girl and calls me over to sit

next to him but

then all the boys sitting with boys and

all the girls sitting with girls start giggling

and saying

you

are

a

boy

lover

but this time I don't care because he keeps me

safe

and

I

am

a

boy

lover.