Bra Shopping

I thought I’d done a good job hiding

my boobs behind layers

of vests and jumpers

but Kelly-Anne still noticed,

marched me down to New Look

and made me choose some bras.

In the changing room,

half naked, seeing myself full length

for the first time,

I shouted back answers like:

It’s a bit tight. Too lacy. Too puffy!

while Kelly-Anne’s hand kept creeping

under the door with new options.

Afterwards we got a Burger King.

Don’t tell Dad about this, I said,

not sure why he couldn’t know.

Kelly-Anne stole a chicken nugget

and bit it in half.

I don’t tell your dad anything, she said.

Her phone pinged and she laughed,

turned the screen around to me to show me

a video of a deer chasing a bear.

I knew then that everything was temporary,

that there was no way Kelly-Anne would stay.