I take a deep breath, filling all the air in my lungs and picturing it flowing down through my feet and into the cool floor tile. I hold it, squeezing my eyes shut tighter and feeling tears roll down my cheeks and nose and landing gently on my shirt. When I exhale, not-so-silent-sobs roll off me and my shoulders shake with the force of their intensity. My mind runs on a loop and my entire body burns with the effort, but I can’t seem to pause.

Knocking rattles the door and I hold my breath. “Hello? Is someone crying in here?” I pretend not to hear the interruption and continue to sit in my misery, because the moment I open my eyes and speak a word then it means it’s real, someone really saw me on the closet floor curled into a tense ball of tears and I will never live that down. The door opens and the voice blurts out “I can see you, ya know.”

I feel someone slump down next to me, and the hair on my skin stands with attention at the fear of our closeness. Not touching, but close enough to feel the warm radiate from this strangers skin. I’m not sure what I would expect, but the next moments shock me to my core and my eyes fly open and connect with a girl, looking right back into mine. She’s crying, just as ferociously as I was just a moment ago. She doesn’t wipe away her tears or try to hide them, and her hazel eyes shine green as the red seeps in, making each color more vibrant.

I don’t ask, and neither does she. The shame that flooded me just moments ago is gone, and before I know it she’s touching me, pulling my hand in hers towards her and as we sit here, wordlessly shaking with sadness, things start to feel different. For the first time, nobody’s yelling Cry Baby in my ears and I don’t feel so alone anymore. I don’t know what’s brought her to tears, but I know that I’ll be here, waiting to comfort her on the floor in the darkness. This stranger leans her head onto my shoulder and I inhale once more, this time feeling like it’s a little easier. For the first time, I’m not alone.