A Lonely Child Of Space

Breaking Out of Orbit

The days after the science fair felt... different. I wasn't used to people actually talking to me, or looking at me with anything other than curiosity, or worse, that look like I was a puzzle they couldn't solve. But now, people seemed genuinely interested. Every time I walked into class, there were whispers, and sometimes kids would give me small waves or nods. I wasn't sure how to react to all this, so I just kept my head down and tried to pretend it was all the same as before.

Then, one day during lunch, a couple of classmates came over to my desk with their math workbooks. Kaito, one of the boys who usually sat in the back and joked with his friends, hesitated by my side, holding his workbook like it was a shield.

"Uh... hey, Reina?" he started, looking awkward but determined. "Do you, um... do you know how to do this problem? I just... well, I don't get it."

I glanced down at his workbook. It was a geometry problem, finding the area of a composite shape. It wasn't difficult, but I could see why it might be confusing if you didn't break it down.

"You just... separate each shape, find their areas individually, and add them together," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. My answer probably came out flat, though, and Kaito looked a bit taken aback.

"Oh... yeah, that makes sense," he said, nodding like he was filing away my words. He flashed a quick smile. "Thanks, Reina!"

I gave a small nod, unsure of what to say next. I'd helped him, but the whole thing felt odd, like I'd stepped into a scene that wasn't meant for me. But after that, he and a few others kept coming back with questions.

It was almost a routine now. Every few days, someone would sidle up to my desk, sometimes alone, sometimes with a friend, looking shy or nervous but carrying some question about math, science, or even history. It was like they'd all decided that if I could understand the stars, I must know the answers to everything else.

"Reina, can you help me with this chemistry formula?" one girl asked during study hall, flipping her notebook open. I took a quick glance, recognized the formula for a chemical reaction, and explained it simply, trying not to sound too cold.

"You just combine the elements on each side, making sure there's the same number on both ends," I said, hoping it was clear enough.

She nodded slowly, a little smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Thanks, Reina. You're really good at this."

Each time someone came to me, I felt a mix of emotions—shyness, pride, and a strange sense of pressure, like they expected me to be this untouchable genius. But it also felt nice, in a way. People were starting to see me as someone they could come to, even if I still wasn't sure how to handle all this attention. I still didn't smile or chat like other kids did; I answered questions, sometimes so directly that they looked surprised, then I'd go back to my work.

One afternoon, I was sitting in the library with a stack of astronomy books, the sun streaming in through the window as I took notes. I was lost in reading about the properties of neutron stars when I heard a familiar voice behind me.

"Hey, Space Girl! I mean... Reina."

I looked up, blinking at Ayumi, who was grinning down at me, a little out of breath. "Can I ask you something? It's for our science project," she explained, holding up a worksheet.

I glanced at it—it was a simple set of questions on planet composition. "Sure," I said, as neutrally as I could manage. "What do you need help with?"

Ayumi's eyes lit up. "Well, we're supposed to find out what each planet's made of, but it all just looks like a bunch of weird gases to me. Like, what's the difference between Jupiter and Mars, really?"

I took a deep breath, thinking of the simplest way to explain. "Jupiter is mostly made of hydrogen and helium. It's a gas giant, so it doesn't have a solid surface. Mars, on the other hand, is a terrestrial planet, with a surface made of rock and metals, mainly iron oxide—that's what gives it its red color."

She looked at me with wide eyes, clearly impressed. "Wow, you make it sound so easy," she said with a laugh. "I think I actually get it now. You're amazing, Reina."

I shrugged, feeling my cheeks warm a bit. "It's just... interesting to me," I replied, trying not to make a big deal out of it.

She flashed me a bright smile. "Well, I think it's pretty cool. And it's nice to have someone who actually knows what they're talking about for once."

Ayumi's words stuck with me even after she left. I'd never thought of myself as someone who others found "cool" or even helpful. I was just trying to do my thing, learn about space, and work toward my dreams. But now, it seemed like maybe there was more to my life here at school than just quietly blending into the background.

A few days later, during gym class, I found myself walking alone toward the soccer field when I overheard some girls talking.

"Have you asked Space Girl for help yet?" one of them whispered, but it didn't sound mocking like it used to. Instead, there was a hint of admiration. "She really knows her stuff, doesn't she?"

The other girl nodded. "Yeah, I asked her about my math homework, and she explained it in, like, two seconds. She's like... an actual genius."

I ducked my head, pretending not to hear, but I couldn't deny the small thrill I felt. All my life, I'd been the "weird" kid, the one who only cared about stars and planets. Now, people were starting to see me in a new light, and it felt strange... yet strangely nice.

Despite all of this, I stayed focused on my goal. While everyone else was talking about sports events, concerts, and hanging out on weekends, I stayed busy with my studies, digging into books that had nothing to do with school assignments. My dream was still my priority, and even though I was letting people in, little by little, I knew I couldn't afford to get distracted. I had a lot to learn, and no one could do it for me.

Still, there were times when I'd catch myself wondering what it would be like to have a close friend, someone who got why I was so obsessed with space. Someone who didn't need to be explained to but just... understood.

But for now, I was okay with the way things were. I was still the "Space Girl," still that quiet, shy kid who'd rather be up in the stars than down here on Earth. And even though I still found it hard to open up, I could feel myself changing, just a little, every day.

Maybe being "Space Girl" wasn't such a bad thing, after all.