:( I wrote this in less than an hour, so sorry if this sucks. I just needed to write it down for two reasons. One: because I feel like Carlos' innocence is too often overlooked and seen as stupidity. And two: because I just needed to let some feelings out, and writing is the best way for me to do so. This is actually something that happened to me once... So, yeah...

"Alright guys, it's time to pick your groups for your next project. There can be from two to four people in each group. Make sure to keep in mind that this project is a rather long one, so choose your partners carefully."

Carlos watched from his desk as the boys and girls around him turned around this way and that, exited to pick who would be in their group. He looked down with sadness in his eyes, realizing that nobody was looking his way. This was nothing new to him. He was the quiet and shy one; the one who spoke only, and only if, he was needed to. He had learned at a very young age that not everybody could be trusted, and often people used him or plain out ignored him. Nobody seemed to like him, but at the same time it seemed like everybody liked him. It was hard for him to understand how people truly felt about him.

"Carlos, aren't you going to pick a group to be in?" his teacher, Miss Richards, questioned him. He had not even realized she was standing next to him. She offered him a smile, but he only managed to give her a forced one back. He looked down at his hands and then back up at her, debating whether he should bring up the question that he so desperately wanted to ask her.

"Would anyone like to take Carlos into their group?" the teacher questioned the class. Carlos blushed at the question and looked back down, feeling very uncomfortable. The classroom went quiet. Not one person offered to let him be in their group. "James, would you mind having Carlos in your group?"

James - one of the school's most popular students, known for his good looks and charm - let out a sigh of annoyance at the question. "Ugh, no, miss. I don't want to," he whined, clearly not agreeing with the teacher's suggestion. It took Carlos a lot of effort not to burst into tears right then and there. He knew nobody wanted him in their group. Nobody wanted the shy, quiet, freakish kid in their group. But even though he knew it well, it did not lessen or stop the pain that seemed to tug harshly at his heart or the tears that threatened to fall.

"That wasn't very nice, James. You better apologize for your behavior, and whether you want to or not, you're taking him in," the teacher said, upset by the boy's rude behavior. She then turned to Carlos, smiling softly. "Go join James, Logan and Kendall," she whispered. "If any of them upset you just let me know."

Carlos simply nodded and said a quiet "okay," even though he didn't want to join their group. He gathered up his belongings and made his way to the spot in the classroom where the three boys' desks were joined up together. He dropped his backpack into a nearby empty desk and pulled it towards the other desks and took a seat, his gaze falling to the wooden desk.

The teacher handed out a paper that had the necessary instructions for the project, as well as the materials they may or may not need. Carlos quietly grabbed a pencil from his backpack and wrote down his name on the very top. Not once did he look up, however, he could feel James' gaze burning into him.

"We need a leader," Kendall pointed out. He was the school's lead hockey player and probably the most popular kid in school, followed closely by James. He was tall, with blond hair, green eyes, and slim structure. Very unlike James, who was also tall, with brown hair, hazel eyes, and a strong frame.

"I think you should be the leader, Kendall," Logan responded. He was the shortest of the three, but he was slightly taller than Carlos. He had spiky brown hair, brown eyes, and a scrawny structure. He didn't seem as scary as the other two, but Carlos didn't trust him. He trusted no one really.

Carlos hated this. He hated how scared he was of being hurt by others, because in the past, he had been hurt and used by the ones he thought were his friends. He was often confused about his feelings, because even though he found it hard to trust anyone, he always expected the best out of people. He knew far too well what it was like to be played with, used, backstabbed, lied to, and manipulated, therefore, he refused to do it to others. He always tried to be nice to everyone, but it always came back and hurt him in some way or another. He was a sweet boy, caring, loving, and he only wanted to help others as much as he could. He always forgave everyone, even when they'd hurt him over and over again. He always had a smile on his face, even when he felt like he was falling apart. People admired him for his kindness, but they took advantage of him because of it as well.

He was thought to be stupid, but the truth is, he wasn't stupid. People confused his innocence for stupidity, his kindness for foolishness, and his naiveness for obliviousness. He allowed people to hurt him. He would rather hurt than defend himself and hurt somebody else's feelings. He was just that kind of person. A shy yet friendly person with a very sensitive personality.

Riiiiiiiiiing!

Carlos sighed in relief, the bell having rung to signal the end of the class period. He rapidly gathered his things, placed his paper and pencil into his backpack, and slung it over his shoulder. He whispered a silent "bye" to the boys in front of him, not realizing that they had already left.

With a heavy heart, he made his way to the classroom's door and walked out. He allowed the tears to spill. There was no point in holding them back.

He was a nobody, and that is all he would ever to be to the rest of the world.

Suckish ending, but I felt the need to end it there. Hope it was okay. If it wasn't, oh well. I wrote it more for me than for anyone else, so it doesn't really matter... Thanks for reading though.

~ BigTimeRush-BTR :)