I sat on my curb looking around at everyone running around happily. I began chewing on my nail bed. I tapped my shoe against the red strip of concrete and looked around for someone to show up. I looked down at my jeans. Why would anyone ever like me? I traced the lines of my jeans with the tip of my chewed off nail. My shoes reached up my leg to rest underneath my knee. No one showed up. Friends I used to know were happily skipping and hugging each other. I stood up and walked quietly to the bathroom. It was empty. I leaned my palms against the sink and ran the water. The bell rang out and everyone disappeared. I watched myself in the mirror. Doing nothing but blinking.
The running water was the only thing that cut like a knife through the silence. Dark circles of eye liner were smeared under my eyes. Mascara was sloppily wiped on my lashes. I took in a deep breath. Why would anyone like me? Silent tears slid down my face and dripped onto the tile floor under me. Eyeliner ran down with it. I looked down at my hands at the red marks dented on my palms. I looked back to the mirror and wiped my tears away. Makeup was now smeared on my wrists and across my face. I stared myself down in the mirror. Waiting for something to happen. Waiting for the mirror to crack or cry out for mercy. I closed my eyes and picked up my hands pretending I was in front of a piano. My fingers hit the invisible keys in front of me letting out a silent song. When my imaginary song was done I looked back up at my reflection again. I turned around and stared at the light pink sticky note against the wall. I pulled it off and stared at the thick black lettering.
"You're perfect. Just wanted you to know that." I read aloud to myself. I looked around and peeked outside. I saw her slowly walking back to the classroom, tossing her small pink sticky note pack back and forth in her hands. I looked down at the note again and smiled. I went to the sink and got my fingers wet and wiped the makeup off my eyes. I slowly walked back to the classroom I should have been in and slipped the note into my back pocket.
"Are you okay?" my teacher said quietly to me as I took my seat.
"Perfect." I whispered to her with a smile.