I've kept this secret for six months now. Every day at school, I smile and laugh with my friends, pretending everything is normal. But nothing has been normal since Dad lost his job.
This morning, I watched Ava show off her new sneakers - the ones I'd been saving up for since September. "Aren't they amazing?" she gushed. I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. My savings had gone toward groceries last week.
The hardest part isn't the money. It's the lying. When Maya asked why I couldn't go to the movies, I said I was busy. When Tyler invited me to his birthday party at the laser tag place, I made up a family commitment. They probably think I don't want to hang out anymore. Maybe they're starting to forget about me.
Dad says things will get better soon. He's had three interviews this week. Mom takes extra shifts at the hospital when she can. I babysit the neighbors' kids on weekends now.
I used to think being thirteen was hard because of homework and drama. Now I know there are harder things - like watching your parents try not to look worried, and pretending you don't notice.
Kenji stood at the front of the classroom, notecards trembling in his hands. Twenty-five faces stared back at him, and he was certain every single one could see his fear.
He cleared his throat and began. "My presentation is about renewable energy..."
In the back row, Samantha was barely listening. She was too busy worrying about her own presentation, scheduled for tomorrow. What if she forgot everything? What if people laughed?
Mr. Patterson observed from his desk, making notes on his rubric. He could see Kenji's nervousness, but he also noticed the thorough research and careful organization. This was a student who had worked hard, even if confidence didn't come easily.
Kenji stumbled over a word and felt his face flush. He imagined everyone judging him. But the truth was more complicated - Marcus was half-asleep, dreaming about soccer practice. Aisha was genuinely interested in solar panels. And Lin was silently cheering Kenji on, remembering how he'd encouraged her last week when she'd been nervous.
None of them saw the same presentation. Each filtered it through their own thoughts and worries and hopes. And Kenji, lost in his own fear, couldn't see any of it.