It’s not fair. Why do people keep treating me like this? It’s not my fault. I didn’t ask to be born like this. And it’s not like I’m being a nuisance. I try to stay out of everyone’s way as much as I can. So why? Why does everyone feel the need to make fun of me? To laugh at me? To hurt me? Did I say something I shouldn’t have to someone really important? I didn’t mean to. This isn’t right.

“Ooo, what a fox,” I hear as I walk through the halls. I clench my bag.

“Hey, say something, foxy,” I hear someone else say. I walk faster.

“Shouldn’t pets be on a leash?” someone else adds on. My eyes start to water.

“Nevermind that, where’s her owner?” someone else chimes in. I run on the brink of tears, hearing nothing but the sounds of everyone’s amusement.

I make it to my safe space. It’s an empty hillside marked by a single oak tree. It’s pretty far from the school and very secluded from society. It’s the perfect place to go when I need to calm down. I place my bag down and curl up beside the tree, recalling the events of the day. They do nothing but push me. Pull my tail. Ask me what I say...Laugh at me. That’s the worst of it. They laugh at me. I hate it. I don’t know how much I can go through with this.

A few tears hit the ground. They’re doing this to me. I come to them in kindness and they do this. Maybe I should transfer again. There’s bound to be a place for me where I can be amongst humans without being jaded. There has to be. Right?

In the midst of my thoughts, I hear a noise. Footsteps? Uh oh. I thought no one knew about this place. That’s why I come here. I climb the tree, hiding in the leaves, waiting for the person to appear then leave.

The source of the footsteps appears and it’s...a boy? Oh no. The uniform. He’s from the school. Did he track me down? Why won’t they just leave me alone? Wait, what’s he doing? Why’s he kicking a rock? What did the rock do? Do these people have no bounds? Why must they pick on the defenseless? Wait, it doesn’t seem that he’s enjoying it. He …