What Finally Set Me Off (Part 1)

(Although this was inspired by Olusequn Adelana's poetry challenge about betrayal, it is much too long to enter it; but I'm thankful for any poetic inspiration I can recieve!) What Finally Set Me Off Sometimes Mom would mildly chide me for my seeming inability to stand up for myself. I would call myself tolerant, mellow, and forgiving. But she’d sometimes put it this way: You’re a doormat! And sometimes when she saw my lack of self-assurance, she’d heave a sigh. You see, she loved me. And she suffered, with her daughters, when we endured injustice. Which brings me to my own tale of betrayal and what first-time betrayal meant to a young too-trusting girl. I think it was in junior high, the time I was emerging from my pre-pubescent shell, flowering, not just physically; my mental faculties were blossoming as well. I had a best, friend, Sheila, blue eyed Sheila, A pint-sized world-wise, Alabama transplant to the heartland: sweet Sheila, to whom I would confide all my teenage dreams, crushes, and beliefs. And Sheila had a brother, older, pint-sized too, but oh my! A wondrous gorgeous guy that Danny was! And Sheila knew completely how I felt for him. At our school was Margo, a “bad girl.” Rumors followed her. In grade school, it was she who happily revealed to me her hinted-at “real” knowledge of the birds and bees. For just a while, she and I were friends, then parted ways. But now in seventh grade, Margo was re-entering my life. She had her eyes on Danny, and Margo wasn’t playing any games.