In shadows cast by youthful fears,
A tale of lessons learned through tears,
I'd whisper truths to younger me,
A poem woven, wise decree.

"Don't shroud your pain in masks of pride,
For veils of faux esteem can hide,
The ones who hold your heart so dear,
Drifting far when closeness veers.

A dance of confidence, not a guise,
Let vulnerability arise,
For strength is found in truths confessed,
In letting human hearts invest.

In ninth-grade's haze, I turned away,
In worry of what judgments say,
Yet in my wake, a brash façade,
A lonely path that pain remade.

Oh, high school's realm, a fragile stage,
Where masks of arrogance engage,
Regrets now echo through the halls,
A yearning to break down these walls.

So learn from me, embrace the real,
Let authenticity's grace heal,
The bonds that keep companions close,
And guide you through life's ebb and flows.

For wisdom blooms from shadows past,
From lessons learned, love's mold is cast,
So shed the mask, let judgments flee,
And high school's tapestry shall be free.

No arrogant brat, but humble and kind,
Your authenticity a beacon to find,
In vulnerability, strength shall flow,
In wisdom's light, your spirit shall glow."