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Taylor-May

My mom always told me I was smart. So did my father. I had an honourable mention--which would have been honor roll if my science teacher didn't hate me--and I as always got things right off the bat.

Except for Taylor-May.

It's not the person herself. Its her name.

Taylor-May.

Taylor-May.

I thought it was pretty self explanatory. In class, the teacher would call on her as Taylor-May. It was just her name. Like Dorothy-Anne or Marabelle-Dannika. That sort of thing.

Except it's not. Her name is Taylor May. As in Taylor. May. It was her last name. But the teacher always called on her as Taylor May. I couldn't grasp why. Taylor wasn't bothered by it. But it drive me up the wall.

Why did the teacher do that? Why not just Taylor? She never did that sort of thing for any other student, not even when she was angry.

What was so special about Taylor?

~•~♪~•~

I ended up asking. I couldn't bear it any longer. I got up while the rest of the class worked and asked him.

The teachers reply was simple. "There's more than one Taylor in this class."

But there wasn't. Was there?

I asked where she sat. The teacher pointed to a desk in the middle of the class.

But that seat was always empty.

"How come I can't hear her?" I reply.

"She's quiet."

"I can't see her," I added.

"You just never noticed her."

That couldn't be true. It couldn't be.

"What's her full name?"

"Taylor Andrews," he responded.

"Why don't you ever call on her?"

"She's shy."

"I still can't see them," I grumbled.

The teacher looked down at his papers. Without much emotion, he gave me instructions. "Why don't I get Emily to move over, so you can sit beside this classmate you " can't see"?"

That was insane. I looked back. She still--

Was there.

A blonde girl with a long fishtail braid. In the empty spot. She looked up, as if she knew she was being spoken of. She smiled gently at me.

The teacher instructed Emily to take my spot. I brought my work over to the desk beside Taylor Andrews'.

I sat down without a word. I didn't see her before. I was sure of that. Whether or not shed been there, I wasn't.

After a moment, she leaned over.

"I hope you don't mind," she whispered. "but usually people who sit next to me aren't really very popular..."

She smiled again, this time less kindly. "In fact....they may try to forget to exist....you could even say you'll turn invisible."