At Grand Ledge High School, Kasey walks with every group, they know every name, and they hear every story, but they don’t belong with any of the crowds. Everyone seems to have their close-knit friend group, but they aren’t close to anyone like that: they don’t understand all the inside jokes, they aren’t memorable enough to be invited to social events, and they can’t seem to close that awkward space between them. It was like this ever since elementary school: uninvited to birthday parties and to sleepovers and not ever having a date to school dances. Now, they’re in high school, and nothing has changed. They go to every sports event, float around groups of all kinds, follow so many people on social media who don’t follow back, and do everything they can to fit in. Never appreciated, never noticed, always alone. They feel more like a side character, blending into the background, at most exchanging a few words with the people who always seem to be at the center of the school. Kasey can never understand how others do it, why people’s eyes are immediately drawn to others- Kasey envies those people at times. What must they do? What must be changed to stand out? It seemed to only happen to them. Did the star of the football team or the lead of the musical ever feel like an outcast? Feeling like the loneliest person in the world, Kasey sits alone in their classroom as their classmates run to their friends, bright smiles on their faces as they join together for group projects. Everyone else left them at their empty desk for the teacher to be randomly pushed over with the few kids left. What does it feel like to be chosen first, to be the one others happily run to? They work quietly, doing most of the work while the rest of their group slacks off- not brave enough to speak up about it, instead silently wallowing in bitter resentment. If people cared enough to notice them, how would their story be different? What would’ve happened if those they reached out to had taken the time to know their story?