Those Simple Words

      Everyday is a struggle for me.  I wake up, look around this small, cluttered room, and think about how am I going to survive today, how will I continue going on in life with picture perfect people when I am nothing but the scum on their perfect little shoes.
I apply my makeup and my smile and walk into a world that is not meant for me. Why am I not as perfect as everyone else?
      "Good morning lady, where are you headed? " says the taxi driver. "Heaven or Hell, please" I thought, but instead I held down my true feelings and with an awkward smile I said, "378 Maple Avenue, please."
      This usual straight ahead fifteen minute drive turned into countless turns with Maple Avenue off the grid, or at least I thought, but my anxiety kicked in and all I wanted to do was scream, kick, and cry all at once. Until, what seemed to be a booming voice woke me up from this attack with a simple "how are you?" How are you? That was it. That was all the taxi driver had to say.
      My tears feel hard and began to feel like acid against my skin as my words fought through I said "no one really knows how much I'm hurting. They see this girl with a smile and expect everything to be perfect in her life, when in reality she can't even get out of bed because she constantly lives with the fear of judgement from others and the fear of even making eye contact with someone on the streets. Constantly living with the feeling that one day she will have to get away from this life, by ending it."
     That's when the tired screeched and the cab came to a stand still. "I knew he didn't care" I thought, as I began to reach for the door handle that was not there anymore. In its place stood a bright blue eyed man gently nudging me to move away from the door. He sat down and introduced himself as Charles, the taxi driver. Charles put his arm around mine, in a non-affectionate type way, and allowed me to stain his shirt with my tears. "I know what you're going through" Charles said and for the first time in a long time I could finally believe in a human being again and although I just met this man, I knew he was sent here for me.
      The meter already racked up fifty dollars as my blurry eyes looked up. Charles took his arm away from mine and said "this is your location. Don't worry about the bill, I will cover you." With the largest smile I ever had in my twenty two years of existing I thanked him and proceeded out of the taxi and looked up at the tall building that I was just about to end my life at and walked back home.