I remember when you first walked in.
hair falling over your eyes, head lowered, shoulders tensed.
You moved like you were afraid of existing.
You barely spoke, flinching whenever anyone passed by.
you sat behind me, head lowered, trying not to be noticed.
I found you weird, you flinched when i greeted, you didn't respond to greetings.
Soon everyone called you rude, proud, amd weird.
Days passed and you slowly became subjected to bullying.
You'd walk back in bruises, silent, not shedding a single tear.
I tried to help, tried to ask, but as always, i was ignored. YOu never spared me a glance.
Once i found you curled up in a corner down the hallway.
I stood quiet not knowing how to approach you without scaring you.
You shivered, i looked closely. Your dress was too thin. How do you survive dressed like that in this weather.
I took of my jacket, walking slowly towards you, unsure of how you'd react.
I stopped for a while, before slowly dropping it around your shoulders.
You flinched hard and backed away.
Eyes blown wide and breathing hard.
I dropped on one knee keeping a safe distance between us as i watched you, trying to figure out why you were like this.
"I'm not here to hurt you"; i whispered softly, hands stretched towards you.
You looked like you wanted to run or disappear.
What hurt most was that you looked at me like i was danger.
I moved closer, you backed away more into the wall.
I reached out slowly, to pat your hair, you folded, staring at me silently as i moved the hair blocking your eyes.
You had beautiful eyes, hazel.
" I'm not here to hurt you"; i whispered again, touching your hair softly.
You stared at me quietly, unsure as i helped you to your feet.
I held your hand and slowly we walked back to class together.
Ever since, although we never spoke, it felt as of you had become comfortable with my presence.
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Months passed. it's a year now, we were more closer.
you never told me your name, even when i asked.
I still couldn't figure out why you flinch when people talk or walk by, why you walk with your head lowered.
You never told me, even when i asked, i waited, but you never spoke.
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We talk now, not much, but enough.
You once told me, i was your only friend and family.
I never understood.
You looked at me like i was your life line.
I saw how scared you looked whenever i wasn't there, and how your eyes gain a little light when i returned.
You once asked me,
"If you ever find out about my past, would you still be my friend, will you still stay?"
I was puzzled, i stayed silent, then you smiled, it wasn't a happy one, it was broken, pained.
I watched you walk away silently.
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I don't know when it happened, maybe it was when she arrived. My childhood friend. We've been separated for years.
She and her mother relocated after her dad died.
Now she's back, still grieving the loss of her dad and grandmother who died months before she returned.
I grew distant without knowing.
Even when you tried to reach me.
Even when you ran to me bruised and in tears.
I pushed you away. My attention was on my childhood friend, she was grieving and she needed me.