It’s just another day. Just another hour of school. As the days go by, so do the people, the friends the cliques. Cliques, oh, the cliques. Arrowhead High School. Its study hall and I sit with my friends. They begin to talk about the latest drama, as I reach in my backpack for my iPod to drown out the sounds. Drama, drama, drama. The only drama I like is in acting class.

Shut up, I say in my head. Stop talking. It’s stupid, and why do you care? I’m staring out to the see the rest of the study hall with their friends, talking, laughing, wait… not her. She’s drawing, alone, by herself, not talking, not laughing. Why? Why is she alone? I know her, I do, I swear. But why is she alone? She looks so unhappy staring at the same people I’m staring at. I’m going to talk to her. As I get up, my friend asks what I’m doing. I don’t reply and walk to her before I change my mind. “Hi,” I say. “I’m Rachael. I saw you were drawing and it looked sweet. What is it?” She stopped. She was amazed I was there, but yet confused too. Why is she here, she thinks? What does she want?

“Br Brritney...” she manages to squeeze out of her trembling lips, “and tthiss? Oh this is nnnothing, just ddoodling.”

“I like it. Are you in art class?”

“Art class? No, too many guidelines. I don’t like it…” She stopped and looked at me, then started again. “Unless I mean, well, I guess art class is cool. I just personally don’t care for it. No... no offense.”

“Offense? Oh no! I don’t mind, I’m not even in art. HA! They would kick me out I’m horrible.”

She stares at me again, thinking why does she want to talk to me? Seeing another smile placed gently on her face, I can see she is happy for my company, and I just so badly want to tell her, she matters. People see her, and she’s not alone. I smiled and said I should probably work on my homework, and slowly walked away showing myself back to my table. My friends looked at me like I was insane; one asked me, “What’s wrong with you today?”

“Nothing.” I casually smiled back. “I thought her drawing was cool, I wanted to see it up close.”
She didn’t seem to think that my comment was worth another word from her thoughts, and turned away from me. Exclusion. I glanced back at Brittney, still alone and sad like I never was there. So I packed my things, got up, and walked over to her table. She glanced up at me, “Hi?”

“Sorry, my friends are being so loud. I couldn’t concentrate. You don’t mind if I sit here right?” without hesitation she said yes. At that moment, she felt inclusion, and my job was done, no matter what my friends thought.