Lila's sneakers hardly made a sound on the shiny floor as she walked through Riverside High's deserted hallways. That was how she liked it. The silence seemed secure, like no one was watching.

As she passed the wall cracks, her brown eyes followed them. Despite its age, the school had a personality, similar to her.

She was a first-year student at Riverside and so far, things had not gone as planned. She had imagined entering the building, forming friendships, and feeling a sense of belonging. However, things had been different. She felt uncomfortable with the looks, the whispers, and the low murmurs behind her back.

Lila was unique. She was aware of that. She wasn't just a newcomer to the area. Her hearing aids were the cause.

Most people at Riverside didn't wear them. They had no idea what missing things was like—to see others laughing without understanding why, to feel loneliness despite being surrounded by sounds.

She pushed the art room door open. Mrs. Devlin was already there, arranging brushes and bright colors on a table. When Mrs. Devlin saw Lila, she grinned.

"Lila, good morning. Are you ready to begin?" she asked.

Unconfident in her voice, Lila nodded. She liked Mrs. Devlin. She never felt uncomfortable wearing her hearing aids because of the teacher. Mrs. Devlin actually never seemed to notice them.

Max sat alone in the art room's corner. He was one of those people who didn't quite fit in. He wore a band t-shirt, something Lila had never heard of, and his hair was messy. He was always drawing, his hand quickly tracing the page.

Max didn't look at Lila like the other students did. She didn't feel isolated by him. He even greeted her in the hallway one day, which was unusual for anyone. Lila was drawn to him, but she wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because he didn't treat her like she was unique.

Her chair scuffed the floor as she sat beside him at the art table. Max looked at his sketch, then at her.

"You enjoy drawing?" he asked in a gentle, low voice.

Lila gave a nod. "But I'm not very good. Simple scribbles," she said.

Max arched an eyebrow, but remained silent. He slid his sketchbook in her direction.

An old, twisted oak tree with seemingly endless roots was shown in the drawing. It looked like the tree could reach out and draw you in.

Lila said, "It's amazing!" She was surprised by how realistic it looked.

Max curled his lips slightly and said, "Thanks. But it's not done yet. I'm having trouble with the branches."

Lila took a closer look at the drawing. The branches appeared to be reaching for something in the sky, because they were slender and long. She connected with them in an odd way.

Lila said, "Maybe they're aiming for the wrong thing. Maybe they just need to let go and take a different path in their growth."

Max's eyes were keen as he looked at her. "That's a good idea, actually."

She smiled, feeling a little proud of herself.

Max and Lila started spending more time together after that day. They sat together in class and drew together. They talked about art, music, and what gave them life.

Lila couldn't help but forget the whispers and the sense that she didn't belong with Max.

Everything changed on a soggy afternoon.

Lila had stayed in the art room late, finishing a painting of a woman with a silent smile and dark, flowing hair. She nearly forgot the pain in her ears as the rain drummed against the windows.

She heard voices as she packed her things to go.

"Have you seen her? Isn't she strange? The way those things are in her ears all the time?" One of the popular girls, Jenny, owned the voice.

Lila stopped. Her heart was racing. She had heard rumors of Jenny being mean before, but this time it was different. It was only a few feet away, right there.

Max stood in the doorway, his worried eyes dark. He had also heard what Jenny said.

Max stepped forward and said loudly, "So sometimes people think it's okay to make fun of other people because they're different. But maybe they should try to understand someone who's different instead."

Jenny turned her head away as her face flushed. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Max crossed his arms and said, "It means that Lila is awesome just the way she is. And it's your problem if you don't understand that."

Lila was shocked as she stood there. It was the first time Max had ever defended her so strongly.

Jenny stayed silent. She just left, pulling her friends with her.

Lila's cheeks began to flush, but this time it wasn't embarrassing. It came from another feeling.

Pride was something she hadn't experienced in a long time.