there was a girl
who sat in the back of the room
masked in the shadows
that covered her like a blanket
she seldom spoke unless spoken to
but at the same time she stood out
a flower taller than the rest
something about her intrigued me
the way she carried herself
a quiet confidence
a feeling of serenity
a look of tranquility
rested on her face
it only took a hello and a smile
that turned into countless hours of talking
I discovered a fascinating, fun-loving individual
it made me wonder
why she acted so differently in the classroom
later I realized
I was the one she had opened up to
because I showed genuine interest in developing a friendship
and she only showed others what she wanted them to see

Amanda Mei ’19