An excerpt “Disconnection. Waiting for the phone to ring, For someone to make sure I’m in well-being, I feel disconnected. I wonder what they think of me for real? Based on the rumors, I hear the word faggot being spread around. Based on the rumors, I’ve been in town but didn’t have the time to stick around. Assumptions. Assumptions based on rumor. I feel betrayed. I feel lied to. Finding the root to my anxiety, I feel betrayed and lied to. Brainwashed to think that family is the one thing there for you the whole way, Yet. Family has disappointed me more than anyone else. I don’t have to speak my truth, Because if anyone was interested in knowing the truth they would have called. I feel warmth! I feel happiness, carelessness, and freedom. Freedom. Freedom? I feel freedom of the cage that I have been raised in. To think, to feel accordingly to societies standards, yet, I broke out and am free. Free to see all of the contradictions in my upbringings teachings! This freedom is happiness. Not to care. Freedom is free from caring. From being perceived a way that only works in a perfect world. the world is not perfect and neither am I! And that is okay, I feel.” -Dream