If she squeezes me any tighter
I’ll burst
I was just a pink water balloon,
minding my own dang business
It just so happened that the birthday girl
picked me to be her companion in the pool

Now this b---
this girl
who says she’s the birthday girl’s best friend
– but she’s really a frienemy –
has me cornered by the drain

I’d swim away,
but I have no arms
Even if I did,
I couldn’t with her fingers digging so deeply into my throat

I’m gasping for air,
bobbing up and down,
desperately attempting to make eye contact with my hostess,
but it’s her party so only she can cry if she wants to
I’ll keep my smile for a few more minutes until I drown
 or break from this mean girl’s grip

-CLS Ferguson 

To read more of CLS' work you can visit her website.