Although she was terrified of being laughed at,
of being a failure,
of not being loved,
she lived her life with her head held high.
Because she knew that there was no other way.
And she was sure that the boy in the back of the class,
always quietly smiling at her,
would always be there to quietly smile at her.
He knew no other way.
Together, they denied the fears that held others back.
There’s nothing to be afraid of, they whispered to each other,
as they took the first steps into utter bitter darkness. But,
their spirits created a bright light,
and the future wasn’t so scary after all.