The next day…
I still went to school.
Not because I wanted to—
But because I had to.
My fingers tightened around the strap of my bag as I stood at the classroom door.
For a moment…
I just stood there.
Watching.
Laughter.
Voices.
People calling each other.
Groups that already felt complete.
And then—
There was me.
I walked in quietly.
Each step felt heavier than it should.
I chose a bench.
The last one.
Not because I liked it—
But because no one else did.
I sat down.
Placed my bag beside me.
And waited.
For nothing.
Days passed like that.
Two days.
But it felt longer.
No one spoke to me.
Not even by accident.
I started getting used to the silence.
Maybe this was how it was going to be.
That day—
I sat like always.
Looking at nothing.
Thinking about nothing.
"Hey… you're Isha, right?"
My heart paused.
Just for a second.
I slowly looked up.
A girl stood beside me.
Bright eyes.
A simple smile.
But it felt… warm.
"I'm Sneha," she said softly.
"Can I sit here?"
No one had ever asked me that before.
I nodded.
And just like that—
Something changed.
At first, it was small.
A few words.
Short conversations.
But she stayed.
Days turned different.
We started sharing notes.
Then homework.
Then laughter.
Real laughter.
The kind I had almost forgotten.
For the first time—
I didn't feel invisible.
Sneha became more than just a friend.
She became someone I trusted.
One afternoon—
A notice was pinned on the board.
Final Exams in 15 days.
"We should study together," she said.
"Let's beat the topper this time."
I smiled.
Because for the first time—
I believed I could.
Those days felt lighter.
Studying together.
Sharing doubts.
Laughing between chapters.
Then exams came.
Teachers wished us luck.
We gave our best.
After exams—
We stayed back for a while.
Talking.
Walking.
Not wanting the moment to end.
"It's late… I should go," I said.
"My parents will scold me."
She smiled.
"Enjoy your vacation."
Vacation.
Everyone was happy.
Excited.
Free.
But me?
I didn't feel the same.
When I reached home—
Nothing had changed.
Voices filled the house.
Loud.
Sharp.
Arguments.
Silence.
Distance.
My father—
Lost in alcohol.
My mother—
Lost in her own struggles.
And me?
Somewhere in between.
That night—
I lay on my bed.
Staring at the ceiling.
Tears slipped quietly.
Sometimes I wondered—
Do I even belong here?
But there was one person.
My grandma.
She didn't ask much.
She didn't need to.
Her presence…
was enough.
Days passed.
Vacation ended.
Result day.
I stood in front of the board.
Searching for my name.
From the bottom.
Like always.
But it wasn't there.
My eyes moved up.
Slowly.
And then—
I saw it.
Rank 1.
For a moment—
Everything went silent.
Then voices returned.
Congratulations.
Smiles.
People noticing me for the first time.
Sneha came running.
"3rd rank!" she said, smiling.
I smiled too.
Maybe everything was finally going right.
Until—
Someone walked toward us.
Akshaya.
She looked at Sneha.
Then at me.
"Without her… you can't top," she said calmly.
"She's not your real friend."
The words were simple.
But they stayed.
Days passed.
Things started changing.
Sneha stopped sitting with me.
Stopped talking.
Stopped looking.
One day—
I walked toward her.
"Don't sit here."
Her voice felt unfamiliar.
"Did I do something wrong?" I asked.
She didn't look at me.
"You're not my true friend."
No explanation.
No argument.
Just distance.
And just like that—
Everything broke again.
The class felt colder.
Whispers started.
Laughter followed.
"She was always alone…"
"Don't talk to her…"
I stopped reacting.
Stopped speaking.
I became quiet again.
But this time—
I knew what I had lost.
Board exams were near.
But nothing stayed in my mind.
One day—
My class teacher called me.
"Isha… you're a good student."
"But your marks are falling."
"Is something wrong?"
I wanted to answer.
But I couldn't.
"Nothing, ma'am."
And I walked away.
The days passed quietly.
Books stayed open…
But my mind refused to stay there.
Still—
Time didn't wait for me.
Board exams arrived.
One by one—
Each paper came and went.
I wrote them.
Not with confidence.
Not with fear.
Just… without the spark I once had.
The girl who once dreamed of topping…
Was now simply trying to get through.
The last exam.
The final bell rang.
Pens dropped.
Chairs scraped.
Voices filled the room again.
"Finally! It's over!"
"Vacation starts!"
Everyone was smiling.
Relieved.
Excited.
I walked out slowly.
Holding my paper a little tighter than needed—
As if letting go would mean losing something more.
Outside—
The sky looked brighter.
Wider than before.
But inside me—
Something didn't feel the same anymore.
Vacation had begun.
For others—
It was freedom.
Joy.
Rest.
For me—
It was long days filled with thoughts I couldn't escape.
And somewhere deep inside—
I knew…
This wasn't just the end of exams.
It was the end of a version of me.
The girl who believed people would stay.