Raven texts back, thanking me.
I gesture to the front row of the auditorium. “Want to sit?”
She looks up at me. “Are you really Raven’s friend? Or are you, like, her boyfriend?”
“I think we should talk about what has you so upset.”
She shrugs. “Are you her boyfriend? Her life seems so awesome here.”
I plop down on a seat and she waits a beat before sitting in the one next to me.
“Raven and I aren’t dating, but we’re good friends.”
She lifts a brow. “More than friends?”
I laugh, plowing my fingers through my hair. “No.”
She narrows her eyes at me like she doesn’t believe me.
“How about you tell me why you’re hiding from your family?” I ask in a gentle tone.
She kicks her leg against the seat. “I’m not hiding from my family. I just want to be alone.” She shrugs. “I got sad seeing what a good life Raven has here. I mean, I want her to be happy. I really do. But I miss her so much and…school’s hard without her around. I don’t know. I just needed to get away.”
“I get that. Sometimes you’re upset and just need space, and that’s okay. But climbing under the stage was a bad idea, Robin. You could have gotten hurt.”
She doesn’t say anything.
“I know it’s hard not having Raven around, but you can always call her. It’s not the same, but you know she’ll always be there for you.”
She nods slowly. “I wish I could leave home and come here. She has friends and a boyfriend.” She gives me a pointed look. “The perfect life.”
“HBA is anything but the perfect life, but you’re right. Raven does have friends. She’s doing very well here.”
“It wasn’t always like that. She didn’t have friends when she was my age. But she didn’t…I mean, no one made fun of her for stuff she did or what she wore.”
“Are kids making fun of you?”
She shrugs again, kicking the seat. “It’s one girl and her friends. Not really a big deal, and they mostly moved on to another kid. But I still don’t have friends. It’s…it’s lonely. Mom and Dad make everything worse. They wanted to ask other parents to ask their kids to hang out with me. It’s so embarrassing. I quickly stopped them.”
“They’re just trying to help.”
She nods. “I know, but they’re making me into an even bigger loser than I already am.”
I place my hand on her shoulder. “Robin, you’re not a loser. You’re the coolest kid I’ve ever met. Look at those boots and that killer smile. Not many people can pull that off.” I grin at her.
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, right.”
“Kid, if a sixteen-year-old is calling you cool, you should accept the compliment.”
That gets a soft laugh out of her.
“I’m sorry you’re having a hard time making friends,” I continue. “But maybe you haven’t given the kids at your school a chance to know you. You’re worried about the mean kids, but I say forget those kids. Pretend they don’t exist. Love the cool person you are because she’s amazing. Unless they physically harm you, in which you should tell a teacher or your parents, focus on the best parts of yourself. Show those parts to the good kids in your class. I’m sure there are some other lonely students who are too shy or scared to make friends. Can you think of anyone like that in your class?”
She ponders for a few seconds. “Yeah, Jamie. She’s always sitting alone at her desk drawing.”
“Have you tried being her friend?”
She shakes her head. “Everyone knows befriending Jamie is social suicide. I mean, she’s nice. Like super, super nice. I guess I wouldn’t mind being her friend, but everyone stays away from her because of Valerie.” She slumps forward. “I hate that I stay away, too, but I’m trying to survive.”
