In the short story, "The Secret Lion", author Alberto Rios eloquently portrays the awkwardness of the teen years through the perspective of two boys, both age twelve. Despite their frustration with adults, both boys see the world as a mysterious and wonderful place, as their own plane of existence. They enjoy spending time near the neighboring arroyo, where they shout dirty words and yell about their teachers. In reference to this, the narrator says, "it just felt good and for the first time in our lives there was nobody to tell us we couldn't" (Rios 1). Both boys feel neglected and pushed down by adults, and they feel as if adults are taking their childlike perspective away. In the transition to becoming a teenager, I too felt that I was losing
