I'd had an awful day at school. My friend had left me the entire recess and I felt this pit of emptiness and loss. I didn't want to be alone, she just left me and so did my other friends as well. I was young and I was very emotional, but more than anything I just hated being alone, so I would cry for the entire recess.

We were in line after recess. I didn't share a class with my best friend at the time and it tore me up. Still, she found me in line, sobbing as I rubbed at my tears with my hands, and just stood there, staring at me.

I immediately reached out to hug her, and I didn't even care if she didn't want to hug me, I just needed it. She hesitantly responded with a slight hug and we went inside and that was that.

I can't remember how long it was after, but at some point she told me with no remorse in her voice that she was planning on telling me we weren't friends anymore when she came up to me. Hearing those words broke me, but it was like breaking shattered glass. Empty. There's just more mess, it's still broken, there's just more mess. She left before she could help me clean it up. I'm partially grateful for that.