-willow tree-

Jane's perspective

As the final bell rang, Jane took a deep breath, clutching her books tightly to her chest as she navigated the bustling hallway. She had spent the day trying to blend in, but the whispers and laughter from the popular kids had only made her feel more isolated. She spotted Adaline standing with her friends, and a glimmer of hope sparked within her. Maybe if she could just talk to her, she could find a friend in this new school.

"Hey, Adaline!" Jane called out, her voice wavering slightly as she approached. She felt a knot of anxiety twist in her stomach, but she continued forward, hoping for a friendly response.

Instead, as she got closer, she noticed the way Adaline's smile seemed forced, almost as if she were trying to hide something. "Can I talk to you for a second?" Jane asked, her heart racing.

Adaline's expression shifted, and Jane felt a chill run down her spine. "Why would you want to talk to me?" Adaline replied, her tone laced with sarcasm. "You think we're friends or something? You're just the new girl, remember?"

Jane's heart sank at the words. She had hoped Adaline would see her as someone worth getting to know, but instead, she felt like a target. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she tried to process the rejection.

"Honestly, you should just stick to your own kind. You know, the other misfits. You don't belong here," Adaline continued, and Jane couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Before Jane could respond, Adaline stepped forward, and in a shocking moment, she shoved Jane hard. Jane stumbled backward, her books flying from her grasp as she hit the ground. The impact was jarring, and for a second, time seemed to freeze.

The hallway fell silent, and Jane's heart raced as she stared up at Adaline, disbelief flooding her mind. How could someone she thought she might connect with do this? But then, laughter erupted from the group surrounding Adaline, their mocking voices slicing through her like a knife.

"Look at her! She's such a loser!" Tiffany laughed, and Jane felt her face flush with humiliation. She scrambled to gather her scattered books, her hands shaking as she tried to avoid the eyes of the other students.

"Maybe if you weren't so awkward, you wouldn't end up like this!" Adaline added, her voice dripping with disdain.

Jane's heart shattered at the betrayal. She had approached Adaline with hope, only to be met with cruelty. As she stood up, brushing herself off, she felt the weight of their laughter pressing down on her like a heavy blanket. She wanted to cry, to scream, but instead, she swallowed hard and kept her head down, avoiding Adaline's gaze.

"Why don't you just go back to wherever you came from?" Adaline's final words echoed in Jane's ears as she turned to walk away, her heart aching with every step.

With each passing moment, Jane felt the sting of rejection burn deeper. How could someone who seemed so kind turn out to be so cruel? As she navigated through the throngs of students, she felt smaller and more invisible than ever, the laughter of her peers fading into a haunting reminder of her loneliness.

That day, Jane learned a painful lesson about trust and vulnerability, and as she left the school, she vowed to protect herself from the hurt that came with opening up to others.