A New Friend

I see a girl in a corner

sitting by herself

hugging her knees

crying

Quietly, I approach her

and she shrinks further into the shadows

because she doesn't trust anyone 

or anything

Especially not me.

I reach my hand out to her

and for a moment her sad eyes brighten

before they turn away

She's fallen for tricks before

She's not falling for one more

"Hey,"

I say,

"I was wondering if you..."

She shivers.

"I was wondering if you wanted..."

She inches towards the door.

"I was wondering if you wanted to be..."

She's ready to make a run for it.

"... friends."

But she's not ready for that last word.

Slowly, she faces me, her widening eyes brimming with tears

"Fr... Friends?"

I nod.

"With... me?"

I nod again, and can't help but blink back a tear of my own.

Carefully, she rises from the floor

The floor she hasn't left ever since she last got dumped there.

I hold her tight

And she hugs, even tighter,

Not onto her knees for once

But her new friend

And I remember how I used to be that girl, but she made friends with me.