Solitary, it describes me
I do not wish for company
Never have, never will

A year suddenly ends
leaving me to catch up with it
I run just to find it has left me at the beginning
Once again.

Here I go, to a new school
my eyes are downcast
I do not wish to see
the unfriendly, solid gazes
of those other students

I bring out my lunch,
head towards a lonely table
at the far end of the cafeteria
My feet move on their own accord
I have done this for so long

The bell rings, I head to class
my heart bored from talking to itself
I keep to myself and speak not a thing
so as to not bring any attention to me

The teacher speaks, I hardly listen
My focus is entirely on me
Trying to keep me invisible
so as not to bring about conversation

The bell rings again, the pleasurable sound
I pack up my things and get ready to leave
but a warm hand on my arm
suddenly stops me

I freeze involuntarily, dreading my luck
for my worst nightmare is about to come true
I hesitate, not wanting to look
but slowly, my eyes start to uplift
until, at last, I look into my classmate’s face

Surprise becomes me
as I stare at an expression
rather yet unknown to me
The mouth of that creature
is upturned at the ends

I cannot tell what it means
But I am not given enough time to ponder
for it has begun speaking.

I do not know what to say
My response is hidden in the darkness of my being
How to free it? I do not know.
My world has been turned inside out
Oh! What to do?

My taciturn reply, however, does not daunt her
She laughs and begins to speak once more
My heart does a somersault at the sound of another voice
other than its own

How happy it is! Somehow, I feel
its energy emanating into my body.
It feels warm, a spark has been lit inside
This lovely feeling! I decide to treasure it
For suddenly it is making me do something strange
I feel my own mouth, transforming into its opposite form

I am no longer frowning,
But then, what is it that I am doing?
My classmate suddenly stops talking and says:
You’re smiling!

There it is. My answer.
I open up a space inside my heart
Cut open a compartment,
take her reply and place it inside
I seal it in there for my heart to play with it.
It has been lonely for too long,
I think to myself.