"She doesn't mean what she says. She never means what she says." These words constantly ring in my head, like sirens that won't shut off. "Don't believe her. She's just joking."
But the way Melanie smirks before she turns away causes me to doubt my theories. I see this routine every day. She'll see me and walk over with her group of plastic friends, shoot a clever and painfully honest insult at me, then smirk, turn, and strut away.
I can't show my pain. If I do, Melanie will know that she's won. I can't give her that satisfaction. I must hide under this mask. The mask that I cannot wear for much longer.