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Birthday Cake

12/9/2020

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BY GABRIELLE GAYLE

As I sit in my bedroom counting down the days until my 16th birthday
​The walls start to peel
The blue paint drips down racing each other
The wall decaying in front of me

In kindergarten my best friend and I
Make plans of our sweet 16’s
I had decided then and there my perfect party
The image in my mind still clear to this day

When the walls start to peel I see myself in a pink dress
About to cut perfect cake untouched
I see the party the five year old had wanted
But then the walls begin to build itself back again

In elementary school I had planned everything I could have imagined
I would be smart and pretty with friends 
My parents would trust me 
Because when you’re good you receive good

The walls start to peel and I see myself again
In the same pink dress and at the same party
With friends this time and the same cake
And there is a slice missing this time

But when I turn to ask about it the paint stops dripping
The walls form again

In middle school we used to run when we saw older kids
Too intimidating for us to approach
I still have not figured out if it was the kids themselves
Or the realization of growing up that scared us

An image forms once again
A birthday cake and me and friends
But this time two slices are missing
And the walls are still peeling

This time they do not stop
The image falls and a pile of liquid is in front of me
Mixed with the colors of my dreams
As I sit on my bed

I had asked my mom if I can bake my birthday cake this year
A strawberry shortcake but I’ve yet to pick the recipe
And as I stare at the goop in front of me
I see the cake 

With the third slice missing this time all I can do is laugh
This time though I will not forget to enjoy

Gabrielle Gayle, Benjamin N. Cardozo High School
Staff Writer

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