.............Present............
" I tend to overanalyze everything, painting myself as the antagonist in every scenario. I remained in that state for the entire following week, silent, practically numb and lifeless. Eventually, I threw myself into my studies, aiming to break free from the cycle of overthinking. Before I knew it, I was immersed in intense studying for our pre-board exams, receiving accolades from everyone. Nishkarsh, on the other hand, continued to ignore me at school, as if nothing had transpired between us. We were essentially strangers, with that one incident defining his perception of me. Things seemed to settle, but my performance in the second math pre-board went down as I suffered headache during the exam. This led to me seeing the true sides of everyone they criticized me for my scores, even the kids who score nothing , questioning my unexpected dip in scores, even saying that I had scored below the average student in my class. My maths teacher said that I am being worse day by day and my father said I am not anymore the kid I once was, and my mother's harsh words pushed me to my breaking point..." I paused, tears welling up, as Tis gazed at me with sympathetic eyes."
"You've been through a lot---" he said quietly.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGX085ovrY
"I then locked myself in my room and studied again. Once, while crying over something my teacher said, I accidentally cut myself with a cutter. It was painful, but the physical pain distracted me from the pain in my mind... So, I took the blade from my sharpener and it became my companion," I explained.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDu61aos2lw
"That's not right. You faced everything because you allowed it to happen," he retorted loudly.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpC0K2iU65h
"So, what was I supposed to do, huh? Yell at my math teacher, or confront my father that I'm doing my best? Or tell Ayaan that despite hurting me deeply, I still care for him, huh?" I vented.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMSpsTdVeT
"No, you didn't have to do anything, but you didn't have to paint yourself as the villain," he responded.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdNwaXKBr8
"I-I don't know, everything felt like it was suffocating me. I can't trust anyone, and even now, walking down the streets, I fear someone will approach me and declare me worthless." Tears streamed down my face. "You can't understand how I felt. One wrong answer, one cut; two wrong answers, two cuts. It felt like I wasn't solving questions; they were complicating me," I confessed.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6aFCj9Q3GO
"It's okay, nothing happened, right? I know you've been through a lot, and trust me, give me your arm. I'll make those scars disappear. Don't cry like this; I don't know how to make a crying human happy," he reassured.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMk4butgrs
"I won't cry anymore, but can you do something that will make me forget Ayaan forever?" she asked hesitantly.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPMceeJNac
"Forget? I can't do that, but yes, I can help you hate him forever," he replied firmly.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4EUFMWGYJ
I gazed into his eyes for a few moments before responding, "Yes, please. I actually want to dislike him."
"Alright, first show me your arm; these scars look quite severe."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvP7micnJQ
"And I wonder why everyone always believed me when I said I felt down and got these."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSU3xuJLoVK
"They probably never cared; humans can be disgusting."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOUGRI9R6i
"Finally, you get it. Nobody cares about anybody else until they need something from them."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6yaPAZkDNl
"And even the thought of this is frightening."he replied.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxlV6ayeWA
As I extended my arm, he closed his eyes, and a green smoke enveloped my arm.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNuxax5Veq
"Will it truly heal?"74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrDHvyihPr
"Remember, kid, I can erase your scars but not your pain. So, make sure you don't do that again," he said in a very serious tone.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo89aMswTF0
I Remained silent, gazing at the pond, without uttering a word as the scars on my arm vanished.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiIOJzFowN
"What? Don't you think you can stop hurting yourself?"He asked again.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNxBMps5jQ
"No, I can stop it. I know that, but I can't mend myself; something inside me is broken."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywibsXmGNd
"You don't have to do that. It will happen in time; just live," he comforted, his eyes meeting mine.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tSKlOp4XC
"H-how can I hate him?"74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCqaUKT6Ge
"Hmm... Want to see him naked?"74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsMm7uXtdQ
"What???" I exclaimed in shock.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHJmVKPbDQ
"I was just joking, hahaha. And look at you, you fell for it."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtu9oloj22
"Yuck, what kind of joke was that?"74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARakCC6uci
"Here," he said before closing his eyes, muttering something under his breath, "turn around."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXF9nxrWDW
I turned to see Ayaan.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkmUiQNz6r
"Is this like a wax figure?"74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDoXNr1giJy
"Kind of, but you can direct all your anger at this statue," he said, smirking.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoFzJ16EpD
"Oh," as I lunged towards the statue and touched its cheek.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx69VawZHNm
"Kiddo, if I were in your shoes, I'd be smashing that statue by now instead of just poking its cheek."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVdyJn6ay5
"Yeah, you're right. Despite his handsome face, he made my life hell," I said as I punched him.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuiKWV4ZiO
"Kill him," he commanded.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgfyo2NEAq
"Y-yes," I stuttered, unleashing a flurry of punches and slaps on the statue. "This one's for hurting me," I exclaimed with each blow, "and this one's for damaging my mental health," my anger fueling each strike.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSFlHVPzqi
"Want me to make more people?" He inquired.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0hUd6VbDy
"Yes, Pankti, Arth," I echoed.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOpLrVJdBQ
"I haven't seen them, little human," he replied in a somber tone.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUqJJ55b0d
"Fine, I'll introduce you to them," I retorted.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLg0AT4wURo
"No need, focus on destroying this human first," he insisted, as I continued my assault on the replica of Ayaan for several more minutes.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7H9QXOT37
Exhausted, I rested, hands on my knees, feeling drained like an athlete after a grueling race.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMy8rq3GfC
"Feeling relieved?" he taunted with a smirk.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uEnZjrkxl
"Yes, but I can't bring myself to hate him," I confessed.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJmvrWdBUq
"You will, mark my words. In a few days, you'll come to despise everyone," he predicted ominously.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjU948ZS3IF
"What? Everyone?" I gasped, taken aback by his dark prophecy.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbYQasNC1F
"Yes, you'll soon understand the harsh reality of this world. Just wait a bit longer," he concluded with a chilling certainty.
I stood there, lost for words, unsure how to respond.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yIEIFd57o
"Hey, you gotta change your ways, kid. Being a victim won't get you anywhere. Become the hunter, or you'll be the one getting hunted," he advised, stepping closer.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1c9r5AyBE
"I... I don't get what you mean," I stammered.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1vqwGyUTQ
"You'll figure it out, don't sweat it," he reassured me.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GvgkNCihw
"It's been about an hour since we left Earth. Should we head back?" I asked, feeling a bit disoriented.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtldqYx3Kkd
"Yeah, we should go back. Time moves differently here, so it'll probably be morning when we return," he explained.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLeFg3WeXv
"What?!" I exclaimed in confusion.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmKgZQrptl
"Yeah, when you were chosen, I think the creator froze time. That's why when we went back, it was still the same day and hour," he clarified.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRFpm8g9da
"Yeah, you mentioned time moves slower here compared to Earth."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvF9nPhnUVJ
"Let's drop you off at home now that your new session is starting..." he began.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MTCCrZont
"I've already caused enough harm to myself, and now I won't listen to anyone," I asserted firmly, cutting him off.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wWpwRVbbl
"No, listen to everyone, but do what I say," he responded with a smile.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsH8HlvATX
"Hehe... okay," I replied, smiling back, realizing he was a bit crazy.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsqDcs5Ebd
As we returned to Earth, it wasn't quite morning yet, so I headed to bed to get some rest. I was determined to fix myself and knew I could do it. I decided to ignore Ayaan, focus on my career, which I was still contemplating.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmIS1Zs1Sqk
A few days later, my parents enrolled me in the science stream. They had asked for my opinion, but it felt more like they were telling me to choose science without any other option. Uncertain about my future career path, I agreed to follow their decision, giving myself these two years to figure things out.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGM5aB5ap1
I was resolute as I began my 11th-grade classes, embracing a new class, new faces, and a new version of myself. I made a promise to myself not to harm myself anymore, no matter what. While Tis kept a watchful eye on the women around me, it seemed like we were both busy transforming our lives, only to realize later that my assumptions were mistaken.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGW11v6mnpz
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