Don't pretend like you know me.

You see me, hear me, think of me,

but you don't know me.

You see my hair;

hair that's not always clean or brushed;

hair that's not straightened flat to my head,

but is my original color.

You see my clothes;

clothes that aren't Abercrombie or American Eagle.

clothes that were passed down

and are my own styles.

You hear my voice;

avoice that doesn't talk about

"fcking getting sht drunk every fcking weekend… dude."

A voice that doesn't "like, say like after like, every other like, word… like."

You hear a voice that doesn't talk much-

but when it does, it says what it means.

You think of my popularity;

the popularity that I don't have;

the friends I don't walk with in the hall,

dishing out the latest gossip;

the votes I don't get for Homecoming Queen.

You think about all of these things

and put them together.

You make false accusations and judgements.

You think you can see all of this,

hear all of this,

and know me-

but you can't.

You've got to look a lot deeper than just the outside.

Just because I don't look like,

sound like,

or act like everyone else,

doesn't mean I'm not.

Just because I don't wear expensive clothes,

talk about ridiculous things,

gossip about my "friends,"

or get voted homecoming royalty,

doesn't mean that I don't have a life.

It deosn't mean I don't have style

or beauty on the inside.

It doesn't mean I'm not a person.

If you can't see who I really am

or know what I'm really like-

it's time to take a break.

Quit pretending like you know me,

and actually GET to know me.