Excuse Me???

"Yes, hello teacher, I hope your summer's been fine.

No, I did not find the homework to be all that challenging."

I'll try to make pleasant conversation

as I sit here on my knees, uncomfortably watching

as you take a ruler to my skirt to measure the increments of space between the hem

and my kneecap.

I'll try to ignore the fact that

you are a male adult, an educator with a wedding band on the third finger of your left hand

and you are the one who noticed the length of my "scandalous attire".

I'll try not to yell and say

my assigned seat in your class places me in between two boys

who were both attentively taking notes and were interrupted by, no, not my skirt,