I remind myself it’s not even fifty yards. My mother’s mantra about everyone else being equally insecure bounces from one side of my brain to the other before being summarily booted out.

How did we get this far apart?
We used to be so close together

Braced, I enter the linoleum lined labyrinth. These jerks are well known to me, forced companions since grade school. They know me as well, or they think they do. My breath tries despite all my efforts to go from slow and controlled to quick and ragged.

How did we get this far apart?
I thought this love would last forever.

Being around others used to be easy. Like in kindergarten, if you both wanted to play with trains—Ka-Boom!—you’re best friends. Joey avoids my glance. Meredith occupies herself with fixing her hair. Logan at least offers a small nod.

How did we get this far apart?
We used to be so close together

Chemistry lab welcomes me with vapors of questionable health impact. I don’t mind. How far off can death be anyway?

Not far.