Tip tap a pen in the back of the class clicks a kid swallows water too loudly, the force of the water hitting against their throat and dropping into their gullet is so loud it feels like your brain is shriveling inside, you shy away, you can't think You have your homework written all over your hands so you don't forget, but it's too much you are overwhelmed you hear the discussion in the back of the class two kids who think there quiet, but they're not, the teacher doesn't hear but you do.

You hear it all, and that makes you hear nothing.

You lean in to hear what the person next to you is saying but you can't because someone is on their phone you hear they're tik-tok you hear it and it adds to the buzz; To the Mayhem to the maze That is your brain. You realize the teacher was still drowning and you were supposed to listen and take notes but you can't. You don't care about mitochondria being the powerhouse of the cell, you don’t care about science right now, all you care about is being unable to stand the chaos. The classroom swirls, you have emails to write and homework to complete, and the person two desks and three chairs behind you is coughing their body shuddering with the force of riding the phlegm from the back of their throat; the sound might as well be two metal pipes banging together with the strength of a thousand elephants, you are tied to your chair, and your foot taps the concrete floor you can't get it to stop when you finally use all of your strength to halt the metronome Your foot has shape-shifted into, and all you can think about is not tapping your foot, slowly you rise to your feet telling the teacher you have to get water.

Finally, you leave the rambunctious monkey house called a classroom. Someone is running in the hallway, their feet hitting the floor and echoing against the vast hallway walls, classrooms have open doors, and the noises are peeling your brain like an axe against your skull Lizzie Borden style, you paint a smile on your face and re-enter the classroom, noises enveloping you like a huge beast preparing for an extravagant meal.