I sit here, on the edge of things. Because I’m edgy. I’m different. I’m me. I doodle in my notebook, watching the cheerleaders flirt with guys who’ll never look at me, watching the nerds ignore me. I used to be one of them. But now I’m different. I’m finally being myself. True to myself. I sit back from my doodling, aloof.
“Oh, honey,” my only friend says, stooping beside me. “What is that?”
“What do you mean?”
“That,” she says, pointing at my face.
“Um…” I stammer, not following her.
“You look like you’re going to cry. That’s the saddest face I’ve ever seen.”
“Not sad. Mysterious,” I say emphatically. “I’m an enigma. These other freaks,” I gesture across the cafeteria, “they just don’t get me.”
“No, honey,” she says, “they do. They just don’t care.” She puts her arm around me and sighs. They don’t care about her either.
Trifecta‘s prompt: enig·ma noun \i-ˈnig-mə, e-\
3: an inscrutable or mysterious person
i write 
Ouch! Isn’t that just what high school is like — trying to be true to yourself and not always being sure what that is? You caught the ambivalence of the experience really well.
I work in a high school, and many of the kids who frequent my office feel exactly like your character. Nice write, I truly enjoyed reading it.
Sometimes being your own girl is the loneliest thing you can be. You nailed it. Nicely done.
Very well written. It brings to life a painful truth that most choose to ignore.
The last line was so true. Many high schoolers are focused on the mirror, not others around them.
Very nice – I remember feeling I was “on the sidelines” while the rest of my classmates were more involved with friends and activities. Terrific last lines.
this is a piece many can relate to, especially myself. i was always quiet, never talked, i was always afraid to let myself out. now i never shut up! as long as you are happy with who you are, who gives a dern about the rest.
They have each other so they aren’t alone. Everyone needs someone who “gets” them and cares. Nice!
I like how you’ve written this; in particular, I like the way you’ve captured their voices so well. I believe these people exist.
Wow. You really captured this. High School can be so lonely.
I LOVE the way we learn the narrator’s true sense of frustration and alienation. She doesn’t feel superior at all. She feels lost. And her friend sharing that sense is what shows it in the very last line.
Aw…depressing…but, well-written(!)
I don’t the the popular high school kids learned much about themselves in high school. This was written so naturally! I enjoyed it! 🙂
You’ve captured this really well. The narrator, from the first line, has us on her side. It’s a very strong finish. Thanks for linking up.