diphthongs are for teenagers *only* | Alika Gupta

Oops. I forgot I live in

a world where I can be a grateful ass

instead of a pessimistic ray of

sunshine. I can touch breasts and

each of them can be my favourite.

I can make a cake and not add

toe nails and blood and spit in

the batter. I can buy my friends a

pear and not gloat about it for a

lifetime. I can dress up

in walnut shells and flour and I

can throw tar at the world.

I can drink up languages and drag

diphthongs across spacetime.

I can love the world for caring too

much about the fact that my brother

was never born. I can not put

sunscreen on my ankles. without

fail, I can accept the dare, a

double dare even. I only forgot.

I only forgot that I am only a

teenager.