Lucy Collins did not know who had taken care of her when she was small. Who had fed her bottles, changed her diapers, comforted where when she cried in the middle of the night. She supposed it might have been her mother, though she had no memory of the woman. It certainly hadn't been her father; it was only once in a blue moon he remembered her name, let alone anything else to do with her.

In the end though, it didn't matter. She had to take care of herself now. She had to watch her spending when she got food or clothes for herself as her father would notice if too much money was missing. Most days he didn't remember he had a daughter, he just saw someone who could grab a beer from the fridge so he didn't have to get up from his spot of his favorite recliner.

Lucy supposed she shouldn't complain. Her father payed the bills for their small apartment, and she had a room to herself, even if her bed was just a mattress she'd put a pillow, blanket and fitted sheet on. The rest of her room consisted of two large plastic containers that held her clothes, a small collection of stuffed animals guarding the foot of her bed, and a full-length mirror propped up against the wall. There was a small closet in one corner that held her winter coat and the one nice dress she owned. There was a loose floorboard in the back where she hid an emergency stash; things like extra money, water bottles, and a few granola bars should the need arise.

It was a very sad thing indeed that the six-year-old girl was so used to this life.

She knew nothing else however, so she had just accepted that this was how the world worked. And it wasn't just home either. At school, she sat in the back and the teacher never called on her. During recess, other kids ran by her without a second thought. At lunch, she sat alone at a table by herself.

Lucy Collins was invisible, and she knew it well.

What she did not know, was that there was someone who saw her.

"….Hi."

Lucy startled at the small, barely there voice. Had she not been so used to the silence, she wouldn't have heard it at all. She turned in her seat at her lunch table, frowning at the meek looking boy before her. As the world failed to notice her, she didn't pay much attention to it, so the fact that she did not recognize this boy was a given. He looked as though he wanted to be invisible himself however, as though he wanted the ground to swallow him up.

Oh, right. She was supposed to respond. "Hello." She said, her voice scratchy from lack of use.

"I-Is thith theat taken?" he asked shyly.

"All yours…" she nodded to the seat next to her. The boy set his tray down quick as lighting, as though if he lingered she'd change her mind.

Lucy studied the boy now sitting next to her. He seemed about her age; a round face perfectly framed by a shaggy bowl cut. She was pretty sure his eyes were blue, but he was avoiding looking at her so much she couldn't be certain.

What really caught her attention was how put together he seemed to be. Six-year-olds were messy by nature, often having unknown stains on their clothes, or smudges, ink or paint on their face and hands. Her new companion had none of these things however. His clothes were perfectly straight, not a wrinkle in sight, his hands seemed red as though he'd scrubbed them obsessively, and even the array of cafeteria food on his tray was utterly perfect; spaced out in even squares and rectangles, not a single pea out of place.

"My name's Lucy." She finally spoke up, making the boy jump slightly. She couldn't help but smirk a little at the quid pro quo. "Lucy Collins."

"…..K-Kevin." The boy informed. "Kevin Crumb."