In a small classroom, tension filled the air. Maddie sat nervously, her cap pulled tightly over her head. The teacher, Mr. Hudson, was relentless. He banged his fist on the desk, pointing at her with a burning gaze, demanding, “Take it off now.”
Maddie’s heart raced. The cap was her shield, hiding a truth she wasn’t ready to share. But Mr. Hudson didn’t care about her reasons. His eyes were fixed on her, moving closer, his patience running thin.
As fear bubbled in her stomach, Maddie pleaded silently, hoping her teacher would hear her unspoken cries. She had been through so much already—a chronic illness that ravaged her bones, a treatment that caused her hair to fall out in patches, and a life turned upside down at the age of eleven. Read the full story here 
