Like Petrichor (Random thoughts and Stories)

▪︎ I am not Different

I am not Different

"One, two, three..." She counted each step as she slowly climbed up the stairs. There were approximately 55 more steps to go before Mira reached the second floor and after that 37 more steps to finally reach her classroom.

It was rainy and cold. Everything was gloomy but only for her. Everywhere around she could see people chattering loudly, laughing, playing in the corridors, some even trying to get as little wet in the rain as the school would permit.

She wished she could also play along but she didn't liked to get wet and no one probably wanted to play with her, after all, she was a bore. No one liked to play with someone who is boring or...fat.

"You are not fat," Rhea, a classmate she rarely talked to before, once told her, "you are pleasantly plump." She had smiled. This was how Mira made her first real friend back when she was ten. They were thirteen now and she still looked up to Rhea for almost everything--- her sense of humour, fashion style and even her bold personality. Which was why today, on friendship day, Mira had bought a silver heart bracelet for her best friend. She would give it to her after the lunch break.

"Yo, sup?" she received a slap on the back as soon as she entered the classroom. It was Rhea and her ever-growing group of friends.

"Hey..." Mira replied timidly. As much as she liked Rhea, she did not like the new friends she had made. They all seem to live in a totally different world--- not caring about any rules, not behaving their age but of course they would be good at studies. But this was not the case for Rhea, she did everything like them except the studies, she was lagging behind and that worried her best friend. "Did you prepare for the tests today?"

"Tests?!" she exclaimed, her eyes going wide, Wouldn't you help me in the tests?" she took her hands in hers and pleaded nonchalantly before skipping back out the class with her golden brown hair dripping wet behind her.

"Uh..."Mira could only sigh. It was always like this. She did not want to do this but what if she says no and loses her only friend? With these thoughts she made her way towards her desk, took out a novel and began her day like any other day.

Thrice he passed by in front of Mira's class in first period. She could not concentrate on her work. Rhea, also her bench-mate, kept elbowing her every time Vibhor came into view. She kept teasing her making her go all red every time she glanced at him.

Vibhor, Mira's first ever crush. She was totally new to this feeling and she only discovered that she liked him when Rhea kept pointing out how she always blushed whenever she saw him. He was two class senior to them. Lean build with small eyes, he had no idea that Mira existed in this world---or so she thought.

"Stop, let me concentrate on the paper," Mira whispered, "or I won't let you copy my answers."

Rhea stopped immediately after that. The answers were on stake and she couldn't take any chances on that. For the next three hours she didn't say any word except asking and copying the answers.

"Psst... fatso," Mira's ears perked up just as her heart suddenly felt heavy, "let me on some answers too." It was the guy behind her. One of the backbenchers she hated a lot. They always made fun of her, calling her names and picking on her. Rhea was the one who always talked back to them, made them shut up and apologize.

She ignored him and continued writing. He called her a few more times but she didn't even bat an eye.

As soon as the bell rang, indicating the end of the three long hours of sitting silently and not moving, Rhea ran out to meet her friends from other class. Mira also tried to go after her but was interrupted by the backbencher.