i.
life is better when the glasses are on.
ii.
there aren’t as many telephone booths anymore. get creative.
iii.
he’ll never listen to your advice about the cape. don’t be afraid to laugh when he trips.
iv.
villains will call you pretty. ask how pretty they will be with a bloody nose, then show them.
v.
the day will come where you wish he was less super and more man. it will pass.
vi.
but not for long.
vii.
bloodstains don’t come out of red capes.
viii.
or hearts.
ix.
don’t become a tragic backstory. you’re worth more as a place to call home.
x.
he might be the one with the cape, honey, but sometimes you’ve got to save yourself.
—Riley Smith is a high school junior who has been writing since she was old enough to prefer pen over pencil. When she isn’t studying, she prefers to curl up with a good book under a blanket. This is her first published work.