The Girl in the Beanie

As I look at the girl to my left, I watch as tears fill her eyes and she sets down her head on the desk, curling up into a ball, as, I would assume, an act of protection. To block out the world. To protect herself from the relentless cruelty she faces every day. All I want to do is help her, but I don't know how. What could I possibly say to ease this poor girl's conscience? I didn't know what else to do. She was hurting, so I helped.