whole stadium erupted. I sat among hundreds of s

a

yone noticed the moment he walked into a room. Girls talked about him const

use watching Jake play was the only time I could look at

had no idea I even existed. And somehow,

everyone else in my life, Jake had

decide that your own life is diff

rn a few minutes before me, but those few mi

goalkeeper for the university football team an

an walk into a room and make friends within mi

, I am the girl people barely notice

least, nobody has ever

w how to make friends, and I have never been the sort of person

ster. Most students at Queens University don't eve

would probably wonder how we

university in the country, and somehow,

n my life I am truly proud of. St

for exams. My grades have always been high, and throughout school, I won awards

ome another award. They never seemed interested when my report card was filled with A's. But

education because they believed his football career was import

to study, I had to find a way to pay for it myself. So I

riends after school, I was working. And when I

ok

ani

ng cl

the

ryt

ey allowed me to live under their roof and gave me food. According to them, doing eve

in one corner where I kept the few things I owned.

g or cooling. During the summ

nd the night shivering beneath

rents bought me clothes. Most of wha

ers. Jeans. One pair of shoes.

terview or a special occasion, I sometim

sually with bruises. I don't wear mak

t. So when people see me at uni

mpt face. Oversized

belong at Queens University. To them, I am the awkward

r they decide I deserve punishment. And the worst p

e the person they take their anger ou

use it makes them feel even better. Shane became worse when we g

d Shane, and everyone knew he hated me. So bullying

d, and other students joined in. Some wanted Shane to like them. Others hated the idea of a poor scholarship stud

lete whatever work I had left. By the time I finally went to sleep, my body was e

insu

umili

was what broke something inside me little by little. Sometimes people ask why

have known since I was born. Leaving everything behind feels more frightening than rema

. I want a good job. I want enough money to leave that house an

ome man I have ever seen. He is the captain of the fo

t unlike Shane, Jake doesn't seem interested in collecting adm

seem interested in chasing after them. That is one o

dsome. Jake and I are in the same

e have walked past each other countless

k at him, I feel there is something about him I unde

omeone who keeps people away. Someone who might be hidi

aybe I'm wrong. But I can't shake the feeling that, somehow

etely different from mine. And there is ano

u spend your whole life being mocked, insulted and hurt, some

has never joined Shane. He has

started looking for him. Soon, wat

ootball match. Not becaus

nyone knowing what I was doing. I could look at him for ninety m

nobody knew. My life continued

ures. Do household chores. Endure

and then do it all again the n

l on

should have meant noth

en that those few seconds would become the one thing I held on to when everything else in