Eye Baggage

The recommended amount of sleep for adolescents is between ten and eleven hours. Ha. Ha. I'm lucky to nab seven from the clock, hoarding its seconds away in the past like a toddler's old Halloween candy that tastes like rubber. Each morning, a blaring iPiano trill jostles me out of blissful ignorance. I typically set the five minute timer two or three times before hauling my bones from beneath the duvet and stumbling into some jeans and a t-shirt. Still wilting, I wade into the bathroom and attack my hair until it temporarily sits still, and then I produce a purple tube of mascara, a concealer stick, and some waxy lip balm from a box; once my eyelashes are properly extended, teeth brushed, and chapped lips battled to the death, it comes time to cover up the purple circles under my eyes with infinite layers of tan cream until they fade into the already somewhat mystical paleness of my skin.

Haplessly I glide through school, yawning periodically and yearning for the flannel sheets of new home. Occasionally I subtly cover my eyes with my hand to protect the purple from escaping and earning a reputation. And yes, I've heard many a tale of a three a.m. English paper and an all-night search for the perfect image of Haydn, but never noticed anyone else disguising their deficit. In fact, I haven't noticed anyone else's exhaustion at all. Maybe it's all in my head. Or maybe it's all in my dreams.