The cold metal of my locker presses against my back, a solid reminder that I'm still here, grounded in this intolerable day. I nudge my sunglasses up the bridge of my nose, desperate to keep the glaring fluorescent lights from piercing my sensitive eyes. It's just another battle in this never-ending war of discomfort and stares.

A shrill bell slices through the air, announcing the end of class. My classmates spill into the hallway, a sea of chatter and laughter that doesn't belong to ...