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Kiara slumped into her seat at lunch, the echo of her parents' disappointment hanging heavy in the air even if it had been 3 days and in between she forgot about it but she came back to reality when her mother in morning spouted the same jabs on her.
Ayush, ever the quiet observer, noticed the way her shoulders slumped and her usual vibrant energy seemed dimmed. He exchanged a worried glance with their friends, Ansh, Neha, Sanya, Aadit, and Tanmay. Clueless about the root cause, they needed answers.
During a lull in the cafeteria noise, Ayush leaned towards Kiara. "Hey," he started gently, "is everything okay?"
Kiara forced a smile, the kind that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine," she mumbled, picking at her lunch with a lack of enthusiasm.
Ayush wasn't convinced. He knew Kiara better than that. "Come on, you can tell us," Neha chimed in, her concern mirroring Ayush's. Kiara hesitated, her gaze flitting between her friends before she let out a defeated sigh.
"It's my parents," she confessed her voice barely a whisper. Relief washed over Ayush. At least they knew where to start. He discreetly explained the situation to the others, their faces hardening with understanding and a flicker of anger.
"Weight shouldn't define you, Kiara!" Neha exclaimed, her voice firm but laced with affection. "You're the smartest and most articulate person in this school!"
Ansh, the resident jokester, added, "Besides, who needs to be skinny when you have brains like yours? They're way cooler!"
A small smile tugged at the corner of Kiara's lips. Their words, genuine and heartfelt, were a calm to her wounded spirit.
She explained her upcoming debate, where she had to argue why many athletes leave their careers in 10th grade to focus on academics. The pressure was immense, and her confidence threatened to derail everything.
That afternoon, the group embarked on a mission to lift Kiara's spirits. They took a walk around the bustling streets outside the school. Kiara noticed the cheerful, overweight street vendors who seemed genuinely happy, their laughter echoing through the air.
They stopped by a popular bookstore, a haven for bibliophiles like Kiara. The owner, Sudhir, a man with a kind face framed by a salt-and-pepper beard, greeted them warmly.
"Look, Kiara," Sudhir chuckled, a twinkle in his eye, "some say my extra weight makes me memorable! People come not for my looks, but for the taste of my curated books!" His words resonated with Kiara.
Maybe outward appearance wasn't everything. Maybe there was more to a person than just their weight.
Next, they surprised Kiara with a visit to a nearby old-age home. Stepping inside, the air filled with the gentle murmur of conversations and the comforting scent of freshly baked cookies. There, they interacted with both slim and overweight residents. The wise grandparents explained, "Being overweight and healthy are different things, dear. Focus on being healthy and the person you are inside. That's a true beauty!"
