Cynthia doesn’t like the looks she’s been getting.
Since starting Sophomore year,
she’s been getting ugly looks
from girls who never paid attention to her before
weird attention from boys in her class
and hungry stares from men.

Her father’s friends are listening to her.
It’s weird. It’s uncomfortable.
She doesn’t think she can continue with track
because of her shape
but some of the cheerleaders have invited her to try-out
– despite the looks.
Her old friend group seems to be splitting apart.

Her mother says these kinds of things happen
“when people change,”
and then she holds Cynthia’s head in her hands
and gives her daughter a squeeze.

Cyn thinks that’s probably it,
this is just a turning of the seasons,
and everybody’s growing up,
but she can’t help but notice
that she’s grown up quite a bit more lately.
And she’s not the only one who’s noticed.