"97? It's fine, I guess," said my dad as he looked at my result on the laptop screen.
I nodded, hiding my disappointment because "fine" doesn't capture all those late nights.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfthtCmmdI
"She did well. Now I can show my face at school," my brother chimed in, earning a glare from me.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVJR4UAeix
"Don't get too excited. Some students score 100. This is nothing," my dad remarked, pushing the laptop towards me.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1i23iWsWF
Those words shattered the last pieces of my heart. The room fell silent, but my mind was loud with questions. Isn't 97 enough? Am I not enough? Will I ever be? Yes, some students get 100, but 97 is still something, I told myself as I retreated to my room with the laptop.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9a4PfluGa
Entering my room, I closed the door, tossed the laptop aside, tears streaming down my cheeks. I wrapped myself in a blanket, seeking comfort.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7bE8hf4y0
"How long are you gonna act like a child?" Tis asked, following me closely.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92hfUNCKHq
"This is how a human acts," I replied, feeling the weight of his words.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccgrGDCDX8
"But I told you, you aren't a human anymore," he reminded me.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLayctCScFH
"Just tell me, when will I be enough?" I pleaded.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAyWV9klcd8
"You can't ever be enough," he answered firmly.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGH65Pgk3AJ
“Why? Why can’t I be enough?” I shouted, my voice breaking from tears.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYu33rQmt6
"Because there is no definition of enough. People play with that word," he explained.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8vgxt2ZqH
"But... but..." I started, feeling hopeless, wrapping myself tightly in the blanket.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzrtdeg5Fs
"Follow me..".as he lead me to the middle world again. I followed him.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOhaH324474
"What will we do here?" I asked, wiping my tears.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyI6gGr8iR
"We will talk," Tis replied.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpusqn3II90
"What? Talk??" I asked, shocked and curious.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPDUNl5r4T
"Yes, sit here," he said in a commanding voice.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhuruNO3TTx
I sat down beside him on that green cloud. Suddenly, as I blinked, a greenish silvery pond appeared in front of us. It was like a movie scene. We sat on the shore of a silver pond, looking at the mesmerizing sight. Tis had a serious expression, his green face glowing from the light of the pond.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UP15vu3rH
"Is it water?" I asked.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIU6V5MAM71
"It's not water," Tis replied.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhDLFU2ve2
"What?"86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhVmuh75HPj
"It's not the water you think it is."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRIwdZKbcU
"Then what is this?"86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSA4ja93KyX
"It's - It's your prayers."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLvxMo7t1K
"Prayers? Like 'mannat' (prayers)?"86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUJLbIV8BF
"Yes, people from your world pray every day just to let their prayers drown in this river."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6MgcxAhkk
"Ohh... I didn't understand anything," I replied.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2t8vX7naO5
"How are you feeling now?" he asked, turning to me.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dI0ZlYYOM
"I don't know, it's just so pretty here. Can I touch that water?"86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFIgPRJaDHs
"Yes, you can."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqjKnir2yP
As I stood up and walked towards the silver pond, I hesitated just before touching the water with my left foot's toe.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUX2gILu9O
"It's fine, right?" I asked, seeking reassurance.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZ0aGODvNi
He didn't reply, just looked at me with an annoyed face. I understood what he was saying.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsD2FKi7VoS
"I am touching it. I don't know, you told me it's fine, so if anything happens, it would be your fault," I said as I tentatively touched my left foot's toe to the water.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMiNMgir2Up
As I dipped my toe, it felt warm, as if someone was gently pulling me into the river. I went further in until both my feet were submerged. The sensation was oddly familiar, like something I experienced every day but couldn't quite name. I was unsure of how any why I felt that way.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmeD8THUicB
"At this rate, I don't think you will be able to help me find her," Tis's voice brought me back to the present as he spoke gently.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5G3dV9usCA
"I-I know I am useless," I replied, gazing at the water which was a stark contrast to my life, BRIGHT.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWt7MCTknlA
"Listen, little human, you are not useless. You just don't know how to use yourself," Tis reassured me.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbGTs1WB9P
"I messed up everything. I couldn't get the highest marks in my class even after working my butt off. I don't think I can ever be useful to you," I lamented.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbbXXqo26V
"Do you know why the creator made your world?" Tis asked, looking at the pond.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0tR4w9fbZ
"I don't know, " I replied.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriXxMZkXAj
"How would you know? I don't even know it, idiot," Tis retorted.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2yNh5pp97
"Are you insane?Why did you asked me, if you didn't know it too," I snapped back.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGmWzSS1Ym
"Listen, you are a good human being, and I don't want you to focus on things that are just a distraction," Tis said, coming closer and hovering above the pond.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3f1Ttl9hG
"Like what things?" I asked immediately.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPH7SEWq7U
"Like your family drama, your overthinking, and all," Tis mentioned.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvnUR2iSd0W
"You won't ever understand me, Tis, it's much more complicated than it looks to you," I expressed.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEv1wUfsOFv
"Trust me, I don't even want to understand, but the thing is you are the MAIN CHARACTER here. The surroundings shouldn't change you; you have to change them," Tis advised.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVu4BejxyK
"And how do you decide I am the main character? Everyone is the main character of their story," I questioned.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZoa9VrLI6R
"Exactly, everyone is the main character of their story, but it depends on the reader whose story she decides to read," Tis replied, looking into my eyes. His words struck a chord within me as I pondered my actions in my muddled mind, and I saw myself crying for a moment.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeShSt1F8SI
"But I am not sure, Tis. I am too broken to be fixed," I admitted.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoOdaMElM90
"Or maybe it's all in your head, the cracks you are seeing are just small scratches, they don't have to break when they can still be healed," Tis replied, gazing at me and then at the pond again.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCWcXj01pa
I stared at him, blinking my eyes in a little astonishment as I remarked, "You should open a YouTube channel and motivate people."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgwbUQly94
He contemplated and then replied, "I would have if cameras could capture me."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdO6zjNiM4
"Really? You know so much about the human world," I commented.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZClgiRDpZ
"The creator once said, 'If you are growing a wheat field, make sure the seed is not of Paddy's,'" Tis shared.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAE1oUofddt
"Huh? I am not that poetic," I asked with a humble smile.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdn0EBDjLoz
"Leave it, from the moment I saw you, I knew you were crazy," he said, imitating my smile.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzryMD3PJWB
"You asked me, right, why did I start hurting myself?" I inquired.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLq1pC1XAet
"Yes, I did. Do you want to tell me now?" Tis replied.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQsaJ4B15n
"No, I just reminded you that you forgot it," I responded.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnYFA3k2hd
"Wow, so you won't tell me?" Tis questioned.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpRDW2fber
"It's not a small story, and I don't know how to put it into words. I was bullied for liking a guy and was expected to keep shining when I was totally looking for my own light," I explained.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDRL7XU2Mt
"Did those guys bully you more? I mean, I know that much after you started hurting yourself. Ron told me that much," Tis asked.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymnvftixzg
"You guys have studied me? I feel so honored," I remarked.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFIFjEne1e
"Nah, I just learned about your existence before I was going to the Mixture," Tis shared.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEff9IgznV
I sighed as I prepared to narrate more about my experiences.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡREFSkzPYrb
After that day, I chose to keep my distance from Ayaan because he wasn't the guy I had imagined him to be. But it seemed like fate had other plans for me, as a few days after that incident, I received a message from an unknown number claiming to be Ayaan's mother, apologizing for his actions. I was stunned when I read that message; how did this issue reach his parents? I felt my heart racing as I read the message repeatedly. Knowing Ayaan, I couldn't believe he would involve his parents, so I assumed either his mother found out on her own or Arth informed her. I was so anxious that I ignored the message for hours until the calls from the same number began. Finally, after a whole day, I replied, apologizing and promising not to contact her son again. However, she insisted on meeting me. Instead of asking 'why,' I foolishly inquired 'where,' not fully understanding my own actions. I agreed to meet her at the same place where I had met Ayaan. The next day, after finishing my studies, I cycled to the meeting spot. Unlike before, I was filled with dread and shame, almost on the verge of tears. When I arrived, I saw the familiar faces of Ayaan's friends, but Ayaan and Nishkarsh were not among them. Overwhelmed, I took a step back, deciding to flee rather than confront them again. And then...86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeT4Bq0Nuvj
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.................3 months ago..............
I turned my bike when I spotted Arth, Ritwik, and Aadish. They were still laughing as I turned my cycle, but I couldn't move it as someone was holding it. I looked around and saw a tall, brown girl with a lot of kajal under her eye holding the back of my cycle. I glanced at her from top to bottom.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlNutxNTat
"Excuse me?" I asked politely.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3R2y8whu0p
"Where do you think you're going, stalker?" she asked with a smirk.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0nUk4Gimb
My eyes widened as I finally understood the situation.She fooled me with the message.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHkd370Xtz
"I-I-I" I stuttered.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwJ62nAYQE
The boys stopped laughing and approached us. Suddenly, the girl lunged at me, grabbing my small bob hairs, causing me to scream in pain.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAlAEvRsfy
"Ouch-ouch, what are you doing ?"86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡay9IRZf0Nx
"Something those guys should have done," she replied angrily.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nIz1lpxsF
"You deserve it, you jerk," replied another girl who was also talking as they dragged me into the nearby bushes by my hair. I winced in pain, but the first girl, Pankti, muffled my screams with her hand. The boys chuckled as all three of them left. Now I was alone in the bushes with two unfamiliar girls who were glaring at me angrily, as one of them threw my bike on the ground with a thud.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjfISye5FV
"Listen here, Ayaan Mishra and I are meant to be together, and how did you even manage to get into the boys' group?" Pankti growled in anger.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ePUxsJNH0
I just looked down as her hand was still gripping my hair.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3G28uk9IUV
"You should even look at yourself. Listen, we won't tell anyone anything if you let us vent out our anger," she continued as her friend nodded in agreement.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeJWBFd8nt
"I am sorry. I know I made a big mistake, but can you please let me go? I promise I won't do it again. I won't even look at Ayaan from now on," I pleaded, tears rolling down my cheek.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMWacTvsmQ
"Let me beat you, and then we will let you go," she replied.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVUdoT5BcW
"What?" I asked to check if I heard wrong. Was she a psycho? How did I get involved in this?86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT62bby4IlZ
"You heard me, let me just give you a little beating, and then we'll let you go. I need to show my Ayaan how super jealous I am and how much he means to me," she said with a determined tone.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NxxBOgWrP
"Huh?" I was genuinely worried about her mental state as I continued to look at her with a puzzled expression in my eyes.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCU7IaercU
"Do you want me to spill everything to your pita ji(dad)?" She said, laughing maniacally.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKykF86ZGAy
I snapped out of my thoughts as I pleaded, "Please, no, no. I promise I won't look at him, and yo-you can hit me."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66AoIJt4P3
"Thanks," she said as she slapped me.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HVGE7yQED
The next thing I knew, I was sitting there as they both slapped me, hard ,My brown cheeks still turned red as she pulled my hair, making me face her before splashing water on my face. Then she kicked me to the ground, while her friend kicked my stomach. I was on my periods, lying there with my eyes closed, gazing at the sky. My stomach was in pain, actually, my whole body was in pain as they both laughed. I kept wondering what was so amusing about seeing me lying here like a lifeless body. Was it fun? Maybe I should be dead for a day to see how people celebrates it.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3aoh4DqC2
They paused the video, chuckled, and then left me standing there as they vanished from sight. I lingered on the ground for a moment, wishing for it to open up and swallow me whole. Summoning courage akin to the protagonist of a survival film, I hoisted my bike from the ground, only to discover its chain was loose, and there was a leakage, staining my entire outfit red. With tears streaming down my face, I gazed at the dark sky, realizing it wasn't safe to remain there. I managed to make my way home, where I faced a barrage of questions from my family and the neighborhood aunties. I fabricated a story, concealing the truth once more.Retreating to my room in anguish, I changed my clothes and spiraled into deep introspection.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVqQVyKiXx
"I am at fault, always in the wrong. I brought this upon myself. What if they disclose this to my father? What if they spread gossip among my schoolmates? I'll be judged by everyone. The next two years of school will be a nightmare. I fear I won't perform well in the exams now that I've messed up," I murmured to myself.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTBbmi1UvJ
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