I stand outside, the wind blowing my hair, and my hand shivering as I turn the handle. From here, I can hear the echo of laughter and chatter coming from the hallways. As soon as I walk in, the laughter stops, the chatter is no longer about the party next Saturday or the sale at Nordstroms. It transforms into quiet whispers behind their pale hands. Their bright smiles are wiped from their faces, and replaced by disgust and shame. 

    I try to walk as fast as I can. I try to blend in. Still I stand out, I’m the green apple in a basket of red ones, I’m a crow surrounded by flawless swans. I reach my locker at the end of the hallway, and I can feel my eyes start to water as I read the words engraved on my locker. I take a deep breath, and force myself to roll the tears back. I am not going to let them know it bothers me. I grab the books I need for my next class and walk away. I don’t look back. I can barely look forward, my eyes are blurry form the tsunami of tears about to leave my body. 

    I rush into the bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror with hatred. My skin and eyes that trap anyone who sees me in a hall of endless darkness. I hear footsteps coming closer and closer. My ears echo with the pounding of my heart. They will walk in and find me. I close my eyes and the footsteps grow louder, my beating heart gets louder, and everything transforms into black. 

    I wake up to a room filled with white. The bed, the chair, the walls, even the tubes clutching onto my skin, helping me breath. I try to call for someone, but I open my mouth and no sound comes out. I wince as my jaw starts pounding. My memory is replaying an image of me standing, helpless, as I let fists push me to the ground. 

    I let them, I deserved it. 

    I became trapped inside my darkness because someone was blinded by my appearance, and couldn’t see that we are all the same.