I See You

I see you sitting alone, almost as if you are waiting for someone to feel a sliver of compassion and take a seat next to you and shower you with their presence. I see you. I see you, the social butterfly of the school, looking so desperate for a friend--someone that you could pour out your deepest darkest secrets to and not be judged by your social status. I see you surrounded by pressure while everyone waits for you to bend and snap in two. I see you. I see you, the teacher who's wife is fighting for her life while the doctors diagnose her with cancer after cancer. I see you, the struggling single parent trying to make ends meet so your children can live a comfortable life, and not one resulting in tears and sorrow. I see you. I see you walk down the hall with your head parallel to the ugly old tiles in the main hallway. I see you, the girl with tears welling up in her eyes as she looks into the mirror turning from side to side-- trying to squish, tuck, and lift just to try and find an angle of yourself that you don't absolutely despise. I see you, the jock who everyone thinks can't even pass his math or science classes because "all you're good at are sports". I see you. I see you, the boy being degraded by the "populars" calling you a nerd and loser, I see you. I see you, the popular girl who is so lonely that she surrounds herself with others because being lonely with someone else sure beats being alone by yourself. I see you. I see you cheating on that test just to be able to pass this class and finally, just this once, get your fathers approval and a pat on the back. I see you. I see you in front of the library, silently, solemnly reading your book of poetry with starry eyes. I see you. I see you, the girl who's sister is the star of the show. I see you. I see you and your friends joke and laugh. I see you. I see you, dear old curmudgeon who just wants his wife back. I see you. I see you wave at that boy thinking that maybe he's finally noticed you, only to find that no, not you, but the pretty little female behind you laughing because you thought that maybe you weren't forgotten. I see you. I see your tired eyes, your sunken spirits, your solemn face resting in your calloused hands. I see you. I see that you work overtime and then some just to provide. I see you come back from the hospital after you lost your precious little baby. I see you. I see you, and I may not smile, wave, or even regard your existence, but I see you. I see you when you aren't looking my way. I see that you're hurting, I see you screaming into the open air cursing the boy or girl you thought you loved, screaming that you will never love him or her again. I see you. You may not feel like I see you, and you may not even know that I exist, but I see you. You aren't alone. You're never alone. We see you.