So Lonely A Story for Teens

Crystal J. Ortmann Story for Teens

So Lonely

The school bell rang. Clusters of kids, talking in tight groups, groaned and sluggishly headed toward their classrooms. Some yelled obscenities at each other and others walked closely together, deep in conversation.
Angie was new. It was another new school, one of many during her young life. She had no friends and wasn’t sure she wanted any. Just when they seemed to become special, she had to move again.
What’s the use of making friends? It’ll just hurt again when I go to another school.
She was a quiet, well-mannered girl. Angie was pretty and a few of the guys had given her a good look-over. Some of the girls stared at her, taking in her not-so-in clothes.
She knew all the looks by heart. Since she was a small child, she’d always been an outsider. Her straight blond hair hung in her face and over her blue eyes. It was a good thing because she didn’t want anyone to see the tears filling them.
Intelligence and looks didn’t make up for being the new one. Loneliness engulfed her as she walked into the classroom and reported to the teacher. The noisy room became very quiet, and all eyes were on her as she said her name. Angie wanted to shrink down into her shoes. She hated being inspected like meat.
Her teacher told her to grab an empty seat and make it quick because they needed to get started. She looked up at the stony stares of her classmates. No one appeared the slightest bit friendly. She stumbled over someone’s foot, and many of her classmates laughed. Her backpack fell and opened its contents onto the floor. Not one student offered to help as she groped for her belongings.
Angie chose a seat toward the back of the room. No one could watch her without having to turn around. How she hated first days!
Angie was a sensitive, intelligent young woman. She was attractive and had a nice shape, but, she was an outsider . . . always an outsider.
Somehow, she made it through the day. She ate her lunch alone, stood alone, felt alone. She was in the midst of so many people and yet, she felt as though she didn’t exist. Small groups of girls stood chatting. They looked over at her and snickered.
Angie wanted friends in the worst way. She longed for someone to like her. Lord, please, let someone like me.
Each day was agony. At night, alone in her room, she cried herself to sleep. She covered her head with her pillow as yet another of her parents’ frequent fights started.
“Why was I even born?” she cried. Her sobs were muffled by the pillow.
She got involved in a youth group at church, but they were much the same as the other kids at school. They all had their special friends. She was left out again.
As the weeks wore on, she continued going, and one of the youth group leaders started paying special attention to her. Angie was shy; fearful of being hurt again, but, this lady was so nice. She always had time to talk and didn’t seem to think Angie was stupid. Bit by bit she began to tell this leader about her terrible loneliness. They prayed together and Angie accepted the best Friend she would ever have. It was much more than the young teen had ever experienced in any other groups. The nights when the youth met at church became the most important moments of her life.
Soon, it was time to move again, just like always, but, this time Angie took something and Someone very special with her. She had a Friend and the youth leader cared and promised to stay in touch.
“If someone cares here,” she told herself, “maybe I’ll find another friend in the next place and never be so lonely again.”