I CAN’T WAIT

Mr. Stoffel, our librarian, hands me
a copy of Peter Pan.
“A beautiful new edition, Bindi,”
he tells me, all smiles.
Mr. Stoffel is
always happy when
he hands me a book
I might like.

Megan takes the book from me
and stares at the cover.
“I thought this was a movie.”
I tsk-tsk her. “It was a book first,
Miss Needs-to-Read-More.”

It feels odd,
reading about someone who
does not want to grow up—
ever.
Me? I can’t wait!
I can’t wait to be on my own.
Making my own decisions about
whether to move.
Or whether to walk away from my family.
Or whether to go into a business.
I want to be in charge of me.
Someday.
Soon.