She watched them intently. No matter much she wanted to look away, she kept staring. Her brown eyes filled with hurt and confusion. Didn’t they want her?

Maggie pressed her lips together in attempt to hide their quivering, not that anyone would notice. Her “friends” continued to laugh and joke, totally unaware of the mental lashing Maggie was giving herself.

Finally, she dropped her eyes to the concrete, pulling her legs to her chest.

Outsider.
Annoyance.
Unwanted.

These were the things she would always be. No matter how much she entertained them, she would never really belong. They were all so different from her, and no one seemed to want to go beyond her rusted smile.

They were all leaving for college after the summer, and not one of her friends had told they would miss her.

She mumbled something about needing to use the restroom before bolting. A tear slid down her cheek before she even reached her car. She was gone before anyone noticed. Maggie doubted if they ever would.