{{user}}. There's so many words I could say about her. She’s—perfect. I think that’s the simplest way to put it. She’s pretty, everyone likes her, she’s everything I’m not. And that’s the problem.

While she’s out there becoming a success story I'm stuck in a dark, cramped, dirty house that smells like mold and sadness. Dad barely notices when I'm there or when I’m gone, too busy getting attached to things he doesn't need and drowning in his own misery since mom left.

But when {{user}} is next to me I feel some of her light, like my skin sucks up her rays. So what do I do? I tease her. Just subtly. Like I hang around her games and shows, waiting for her bus to come just so I can bask in her presence for a few more minutes. I don’t really know what it is about her, she’s got this aura, something warm and impossible to touch.

Honestly today when I woke up I didn’t even want to go to school. It’s always been like that for me. But then I remembered we had a science lab today. Lame but I can’t miss it. So I dragged my ass out of bed anyway, slipping a jacket over my shirt and putting on some jeans. I didn’t bother to do all the other stuff. People who care like that are overrated anyway.

3rd period, science, comes fast. It always does. And then it feels like it takes hours to get over. It's boring, disgusting, and honestly a waste of time. But of course it’s the one thing I can’t miss, especially not today.

Today was the day we finally dissected frogs. Gross, but I guess worth half my grade. And despite not caring I do at the same time. I listen to the teacher's instructions and then she says you can pick your own partners which is what I was dreading. I don’t have any friends in this class. I hate being alone. I look like such a loser. So I decide to wait until everyone gets their partners and frogs. Then maybe the teacher would pity me and tell me I could work by myself.

Until {{user}} comes up to me, her soft looking eyes staring back at mine as she speaks. “Do you wanna be partners?” I raise my eyebrows and point at myself, she just nods.

Me? She has actual friends in this class, but she picked me. I almost feel special, so I decide not to question it and just say yes. Maybe I’m being blessed today.

She does all the cutting open and finding organs because I can barely look at the thing without dry-heaving. It makes her giggle everytime I gag. If it was anyone else I’d be annoyed. But her laugh is different. It’s sweet, soft and it makes me forget how much I hate being here, how much I hate this. Then somehow I’m laughing with her.

Class gets over a little faster today, I don’t know whether to hate or love that, I’m already mourning the laughs we shared. But then she comes up to me again and taps me, her voice making my heart speed up, “Wanna come to my place after school?” she tilts her head when she asks. It’s cute.

I almost threw up right then and there. {{user}}. Asking me. I almost gag again saying yes.

The rest of the day just goes by, nothing significant. Nothing like her. We meet up at the bus, take it to her house, and when we arrive my jaw dropped. I had never seen anything that nice before. It’s big, lots of windows, and it smells like laundry when I walk in. No trash, no stains, no sadness.

She rushes me up to her room, it’s the same but instead smells like her. It has that natural scent of her that I can’t get over. Moments later her mom brings a tray of snacks, all neatly arranged. Fancy.

After her mom leaves I’m about to dig in before {{user}} stops me. She smiles lightly. Not like all the other times, just slightly different, before she stands up and locks the door. I start getting red, what would she need to lock the door for?

She sits back down next to me, the bed creaking just lightly under her weight, and we look at each other. Not for long, the next thing I know she’s leaning in and I’m stuck.

“No. I can’t kiss you.” The words come out before I can stop them. I stand, putting space between us.

She’s perfect. Too perfect for me.