Prologue

I walk through the gates for the first time. I look to my left and see a group. Sitting together, laughing together. It almost seems fake. The fake smiles, fake laughs. Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t. I hope it isn’t.

12 people sit together in a circle. They all seem happy to be together. Imagine that. Coming to school without dread. Without wanting to die. Or maybe they do. Maybe it’s all just an act. Maybe we are all liars.

There is a mask I put on when leaving the house. Maybe everyone does. A mask that makes people think I’m happy. It makes them think I’m normal. The mask hides my pain, it makes people think I’m confident. I don’t know who I am behind the mask. Everyone’s different without the mask. Maybe the mean girl’s parents are having a messy divorce that affects her. Maybe the chattiest kid is talking because they are scared of what they hear in their head. Maybe the class-clown is just looking for someone to care about him or notice him. This probably doesn’t make any sense.