1 in 5

There is a hollow in your chest, where your heart and lungs should be.

It feels like the oxygen is being forcibly evicted from your body.

A shallow breath is all you can manage at that moment.

Heat prickles at your skin, you’re red in the face.

You’re sick to your stomach and teary eyed.

It happens when your teacher calls your name unexpectedly.

When it's your turn to order dinner with your friends,

When the test grade was lower than you thought.

It seeps through, out of your control.

You choke.

It feels like dry rot in your blood stream.

You do not get to opt out.

It’s all too much.

Too bright.

Too harsh.

Too loud.

But you hide it

Behind makeup and high grades

And you laugh too loudly

And sleep too little

And drink too much coffee

And you hope that maybe, maybe, it won’t always be like this.

Congratulations.

You’re the 1 in 5.

You’re the struggle, the sobbing, the brokenheartedness.

You’re the 1 in 5

Who got to be a hero.