My name’s not easy—still, I say it proud.
I like how it sounds, even when it stands out.
My lunch is different. My accent too.
But I don’t change me to match their view.

I see them walking down the halls,
In matching shoes and inside jokes.
They post, they scroll, they sing out loud—
But I’m not trying to join their crowd.

At lunch I read or sketch and chill.
They glance, then whisper, but I sit still.
I’m not cold—I just don’t fake
What isn’t me, for someone’s sake.

Sometimes I wish they’d just say hi—
Not stare or act like I don’t try.
But I’ve got roots and stories deep.
Their playlists aren’t the only beat.

Then one day, as class let out,
A flyer fluttered, then hit the ground.
“After-school club: Art & Hikes!
Snacks and games—come if you like.”

I tucked it into my notebook page,
Curious, though not quite engaged.
But later, just outside the gym,
A girl from science smiled at me:

“You should come—Ms. B said so.
You draw, right? We’d love to know
What you’re into, what you like.
We’re all going. It’s Tuesday night.”

I nodded once, then once again.
That’s how real things sometimes begin.

And later in my favorite tee,
I sat cross-legged, feeling free.
I didn’t need to change to fit.
I’d found my people just by being it.

And looking up, I thought with glee—
“I never changed. They came to me.”

_{“Being Me for Me” by Nina D. Smith. Published by Bright Bunny Books © 2025. Retelling of “Her Need” from Fireside Stories for Girls in Their Teens by Margaret W. Eggleston originally published in 1921.}

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“Being Me for Me” is ideal for middle school students because it explores themes of identity, confidence, and friendship using relatable language, a school setting, and familiar emotions.