Delirious

Who are you?

"Who are you?"

"Are you asking me?" I question at my friend's voice, stopping dead in my tracks and frowning, "You know who I am."

She laughs slightly, her curly black hair falling into her face. I watched her, confused, as she looks back at me, " I don't mean what your name is. I know your name. No, I want to know who you are. What makes you, you. Because that, that's what I don't know."

I open my mouth slightly, trying to talk but not knowing what to say. Who am I? What does make me..me?

"I'm not quite sure." I mumbled, embarrassed, as I look at the ground. Pebbles cover it. All the pebbles are different I noticed. Different shapes, different colors.

"Just think. Name all the things you're good at, maybe name things you like, things you've accomplished. It's that simple." She explained, brushing the unmanageable curls out of her face.

Think.

Things I'm good at.

Things I like.

Things I've accomplished.

I find myself looking back at the pebbles, looking at the tiny beige one that sits off to the side. That one, that one is the most different of them all. Not because it was the most beautiful, or because it stood out the most. No, it was the exact opposite. It was lopsided, small, and forgotten next to the pebbles around it. That little, insignificant, worthless beige pebble looks like it would be crushed underneath the sole of my shoe.

"I don't think I am anyone." I say, tearing my eyes off the small pebble and looking back at her. She narrows her eyes, not angrily, but contemplatively.

"What are you?" She questions again, "Think of what you like about yourself, think about things you succeed at. It's not that hard, just answer the question. What are you, who are you?"

I take a moment, flushed with embarrassment to look at that little worthless pebble. Just looking at it makes me realize why I'm drawn to it.

Because it's me.

That little pebble is me, the ground being society.

I look up at her again, a tear forming in my right eye. She stiffens, staring at me curiously through my sudden outbreak of sadness.

"I'm nothing." I whisper, voice cracking, "I'm nobody."