Promenading in her own style,
she entered a known circle;
anxious with an eager smile
She imagined delighted cries,
being pulled into whispered confidences,
some tight hugs, and high-fives
Cheeks blushed a rosy sheen,
with heady thoughts of acceptance;
with heady thoughts of acceptance;
a yearning of a teen
She scanned to meet an eye,
a cozy groove, familiar warmth;
a friend who'll rejoice to say hi,
Heads looked on, faces smiled
but none who walked up
and called out to their side
Corners lit up with banter
voices gushed and guffawed; an inner circle
she remained, the outsider
she remained, the outsider
The evening wore on; cold,
she sported, in pain, a cheery mask,
withering under its fold
Pride hurt, she kept low,
the eyes stung, vision blurred,
her head held high, though
