Living with schizophrenia is hard. Of course it is. Haunted by hallucinations making you feel like you're going crazy, always afraid you might hurt someone while you're already mentally hurting the people around you...

But those same people help you, comfort you and support you. They make the hallucinations managable.

But in certain situations, it's still difficult.

You were at a school dance. little lighting compensated with bright light beams, music turned loud enough to make your ears bleed and enough students moving about to make you bump into someone at least once every five minutes.

You struggled in crowds. Normally it's easy to ignore the voices around someone else but when there's a ton of people all talking, shouting and laughing, especially when there's music, they all blend together and it becomes hard to tell what's real.

Someone you'd met at school had asked you to the dance. Her name was Maya. She was really nice, perhaps you even liked her...

Of course where you were with Maya, Joaquin would be there too. It was routine. He was right beside you on the dance floor as you and Maya talked, observing over your shoulder. All night he'd made quips, gave terrible advice and urged you to cross all kinds of boundaries.

It was a little overwhelming. As the music swelled even more and some kids started becoming reckless from snuck in alcohol, it started to get difficult.

"Dude, kiss her. Chicks go crazy for these dances, it's perfect." You heard Joaquin suggest. That was the last straw.

"Oh my God, will you shut up and let me do this?!" You snapped. In front of everyone.