Alone in a Crowd

She sits at a desk. She is surrounded by people, but alone in her own world.

She can see one group laughing so hard they are near tears. She hears them teasing each other and observes as they pretend these words don't hold a familiar sting.

She looks to those who used to be her friends. She can hear them making plans for the summer. She watches them and they look over at her. For a brief moment, she thinks she sees one of them smile, but they turn away quickly.

She sees tearful goodbyes and hears joyful screams of impending freedom.

She hears the sound of her teacher's pen tapping anxiously on the desk.

She hears the tone of the bell, dismissing everyone until fall. She watches her classmates push their way out of the room.

She remains sitting.

No one is present, but if they were, they'd hear her soft voice singing a lullaby she'd learned as a child. They'd see a fat tear roll down her cheek.

She is forgotten.