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it toward me and unzip that one zipper and take my ear buds out then my Chapstick and then that little sticky note my math teacher gave me at the end of last trimester with my grade on it. I reach into the now empty pocket and my heart drops because it isn’t there and I should have expected this but I had kept my hopes high that maybe I would find it there but it’s not there so I start putting my stuff back in the pocket, but I organize it a little this time because disorganization is the reason I’m in this situation so I better start being organized now so this doesn’t happen again. I throw the sticky away and go to zip the zipper to that pocket back up then I decide to empty it again. I stick my hand as far deep into the pocket as I can and all of a sudden I feel something cold and hard hit my fingers and I grab on as quickly as possible and pull it out of the pocket and there in my hand is my mom’s gold necklace with the D on it and it has a few knots but that’s ok because I have it with me and I didn’t lose it and I’m still disorganized but I didn’t lose it so I call my mom and say I found the necklace and she still isn’t that happy because moms are taught to teach their kids lessons by not showing too much emotion in stressful times but I know she is happy so I’m happy and when I hang up with her I call my friends and tell them I’ll be coming to dinner after all, and yes I feel so much better now and sorry I snapped at you when I was upset and yes it reminds me of that time I lost my shoes on the beach and no that was not funny but ok maybe it was a little bit funny and yes I’ll see you soon and yes I’ll be wearing the necklace.
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— Danielle Hirsch, XI (mind)
“Lift” by Erica Walsh, XI: photograph (body)