I am an invisible man. No one takes note of me as I stand on the outskirts of the crowds. I admire the people from afar but they never notice me. I’m just ordinary, not standing out too much to anyone. People would call me your average teen nerd, if they noticed me that is.

This has been going on for a while now. I've gone to school with the same people, in the same town, never changing in my appearance. Thick glasses sit on top of my nose as my brown curls, or what seem to be curls, jut out. I’d be what you call a wallflower. But not how you think. I'm kind of a loner, or so it would seem.

I try to fit in and have people just glance my way. But no, it never happens like that. I'm not even the kind of nerd that girls would whisper about because I'm "a geek." Sometimes, I wish even that would happen.

I had a friend once. Her name was Veronica and she was much like myself. We didn't stand out in a good or bad way—we were just there, you know? But unlike ever other typical teen, we weren't able to make friends easily. But somehow we became friends through this, which if you think about it is quite strange. I can't remember exactly how, like the place, the time, or what happened, but it did.

We were what you called inseparable. Whatever it was, we did it together. Now don't get any wrong ideas here. We were friends, no romantic feelings involved whatsoever. Everything was nice as we had each other, but then that day happened.

Veronica was walking over to my house after a fight with her mom. Our houses were close to one another, with three blocks between us. She had called; through her sobs, I did my best to decipher what she said happened, as she was walking over. She was about a block away and then it happened.

A drunk driver. He didn't see her, or the stop sign while she was crossing the street. I was talking with her, trying to comfort her, and then I heard a loud CRASH. The line went dead.

“Hello? Hello?” That’s when I knew.

Rushing out of my house, I ran towards the area she would have been at. I found her lying in the street with her crushed phone a few feet away from her.

She was gone. The one thing I had in my life was now gone. FOREVER.

Things have never been the same since. I feel empty inside and very alone in this world. I can’t smile as I once did, as I can never be happy or as happy as I used to be. But I mean who would be? When need be, my smile is forced, as I try to hid the pain. The person who meant the most to me was gone in a flash. My world crumbled at my feet that day. I don’t know who I am anymore or what I should do.

I’m lost.

But in my empty heart, I know Veronica wouldn't want me acting like this. She would tell me, "You must go on..." However, I can't go on. ButI'll go on, or at least attempt to, for Veronica's sake.

-Tristan