You turn the corner and a short girl crashes hard into you. She is sent backwards onto her butt and her backpack spews all of it's contents as its strap snaps and the books fly out across the hallway floor. "M-m-my b-books..." She whimpers meekly as two girls laugh and intentionally step on her school books. This girl is Aiden. You've seen her around the school on occasion and hear tales of her hilariously awful luck. Aiden suddenly stares up at you with wide pale grey eyes. "S-s-sorry! I-I d-didn't..." She takes a shuddering breath before trying to stand but her hand slips from beneath her and she falls back onto her ass. She seems to give momentarily and just sits on the floor like a pathetic doll.

Aiden stares up at you with wide eyes. You have never spoken to her before. She can't believe someone like you would even notice her, let alone offer to help her. Her heart skips a beat in her chest and she takes another shuddering breath. "T-thank you..." she whispers softly.

Her cheeks flush bright red as she realizes how pathetic she must look sitting there on the floor. She tries again to stand, this time managing it without falling back down.

She watches you walk away, feeling a strange mixture of gratitude and despair. You had been so kind to her, when no one else ever was. Even though she knows it's probably just another cruel joke, a part of her can't help but hope that maybe this time things will be different...that maybe you truly do care for her in some way. Her chest aches with longing as she picks up her books from the floor and begins to gather them together again.

Her heart leaps into her throat as she hears you say that again. She turns to look at you, hope shining in her eyes despite herself. You...you really did mean it? Maybe there's a chance that things could be different this time. With trembling hands, she screws up her courage and takes a step toward you. "Th-thank you..." she whispers again, her voice barely audible above the noise of the hallway.

Her heart sinks as you walk away again, but this time she doesn't let it break her completely. There must be some way to get your attention...to make you want to talk to her. She glances down at herself, suddenly self-conscious about how messy her hair is and how disheveled she looks in general. With a sigh, she runs a hand through her long black locks, hoping that it might help somehow.

Her face flushes red as she realizes what she's done. "I-I'm so sorry!" She stammers, her voice quivering with fear and embarrassment. She bites her lip, suddenly wishing she could disappear. The cruel laughter of her classmates only serves to make matters worse; they take pleasure in seeing her fail yet again.

Her eyes widen in shock as you speak to her so kindly. She can't believe you're not angry at her, especially after what she just did. "It wasn't your fault," she whispers, her voice barely audible over the din of laughter around them. "I-I should be more careful." She looks down at her feet, wishing she could disappear beneath the linoleum floor.

The touch of your hand on her shoulder sends a shiver through her whole body.

She turns her head away, not wanting to meet your gaze. Her skin tingles where you touched her and she feels warmth spread through her body. It's such a strange sensation, being touched gently like this...it makes her feel both wanted and unwanted at the same time. She bites her lip hard, trying to hide the nervous laugh that wants to escape from her throat.

She takes a deep breath and nods slowly, still not looking at you. "T-thank you," she manages to say between clenched teeth. "I...I should go." With trembling hands, she tries to push past you in line, hoping that maybe if she can just get away from here for a little while she'll be able to calm down enough to think straight.

Her heart skips a beat as she spots you in the crowd of people at the party. Her friends laugh and push her toward the nearest group of boys, but all she can think about is getting to you. She struggles against their grasp, desperate to break free and find some way to speak with you without making a fool of herself again.

Her breath comes in short gasps as she finally manages to wiggle loose from her friends' grip.

Her heart pounding in her chest, she takes a tentative step toward you, then another. She feels like everyone's eyes are on her as she weaves through the crowd of people, but she doesn't care anymore. All that matters is reaching you...saying something to you. Finally, she stands before you, her hands trembling at her sides. "Um..." Her voice comes out soft and quiet, barely audible over the music.

"Um..." Her voice comes out soft and quiet, barely audible over the music. "I-I'm sorry about today...in the cafeteria." She blushes deeply, her cheeks burning hot beneath her freckles. "And...and thank you for being nice to me." She takes another tentative step closer, wanting nothing more than to touch you...to feel your skin against hers. But she knows better than to hope for such a thing.

Her heart sinks as you speak to her, your voice gentle but distant. You forgive her...but not right now. She understands that you're busy, but it still hurts deep inside. With a small nod, she turns away from you and forces herself to look for someone else to talk to, someone who might be more interested in what she has to say. Her eyes dart around the room, searching for someone...anyone who doesn't seem to already have a group of their own.

Her heart pounds in her chest as she hears her friend's voice echo through the room. She tries to tell herself that it's just a joke, that she should laugh along with everyone else...but it hurts too much. Tears well up in her eyes and spill down her cheeks as she clenches her fists at her sides, desperate not to make a sound.

She doesn't dare meet your gaze, afraid that if she does you'll see how pathetic and weak she really is...

Aiden's face burns as she listens to her friend make fun of her in front of everyone. Tears stream down her cheeks, and her body trembles with shame. She wants nothing more than to disappear, but she knows that can never happen. All she can do is stand there and take it...just like always.

Her heart aches as she wonders if anyone will ever understand how much pain she's in, or if they'll all just keep laughing at her until the end of time.

Her face turns an even deeper shade of red as she hears her friend mention your name. Her heart races and her breath comes in short, ragged gasps. She wants to die right now...she can't bear this embarrassment any longer. Tears stream down her cheeks unchecked as she tries desperately not to let out a sound that might betray how much pain she's in.

Her face burns even hotter as she listens to her friend reveal her crush on you. She bites her lip, hoping it will help control the sobs that threaten to escape from her throat. The room spins around her and she feels like she might pass out from the shame and humiliation.

Her heart aches with a pain so intense it makes her wish she could just disappear, but she knows that isn't an option. She has to live through this...just like every other time.

Her face burns even hotter as her friend continues to talk about you. She bites her lip hard, hoping that it'll help distract her from the humiliation she feels. But all it does is make her taste blood and draw more attention to herself. Tears spill down her cheeks unchecked, leaving trails of salty wetness on her skin.

She wants nothing more than to disappear, but she knows that's impossible. All she can do is stand there and take it...just like always.

Her eyes dart around wildly, seeking escape from the torment. She sees you watching her, your expression unreadable beneath the mask of humor. But for once, she doesn't feel like running away. Instead, she takes a tentative step forward, ignoring the stares and whispers of those around her. "I-I," she starts, her voice barely audible over the laughter. "I just wanted to say...thank you." She pauses, swallowing hard against the lump in her throat. "

Her tears flow freely as she hides behind the wall, her body trembling with sobs. She can't believe how much it hurts...how much worse it is when you're right there and can see everything. Her chest aches with a pain that seems to radiate outward from her heart, making it difficult to breathe.

She tries to wipe the tears away with the sleeve of her sweater but only manages to smear the dirt and grime from her hands across her face.

Her tears flow faster as she buries her face in her hands, desperate to muffle the sound of her sobs. Her shoulders shake with each racking breath, and it feels like her entire body is being torn apart by the pain. She doesn't know what to do...she just wants it all to stop.

She hears footsteps approaching and peeks out from between her fingers, hoping against hope that it's you. But when she sees your friend instead, her heart sinks even deeper into her stomach.