Just Another High School Story!

Leah and Ethan went home for vacation and went to visit their families, E's mom had moved to live in the place where Leah's family was situated, it was perfect, Dilon was doing well too, and off gallivanting in France, he had met 'the' girl, a hot French art enthusiast. They met their friends, and Leah went to take a night walk along the river in their neighbourhood. As she was walking, she felt someone's presence, was someone following her? What the hell, just as she turned around, "Ah!" Leah screamed, it was Mindy, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, I just thought that I might be wrong in guessing that it is you, I wanted to check first. I am glad, you're finally here." Mindy was the person speaking, Leah was taken aback, she had first thought that someone was stalking her, Mindy was... different, her eyes were lighter, and so was her aura, she didn't seem evil or dangerous at all, Leah let out a sigh of relief, thank god, she was worried that the incident that happened might force Mindy into a position that she could not return from, Leah was really worried, it was such a pleasant surprise that Mindy was back here.

They started walking together, "So, how have you been?" asked Leah, you could practically see the awkward cloud that was hovering over their heads, guess pushing someone off a cliff has consequences, right? Mindy didn't answer Leah's question, instead she said, "About what happened two years ago, I am so sorry Leah, I don't know what got over me, it was like in that moment, all sanity left my body, all I could see was two things, one, You and Ethan, together, two, how I was going to lose everything I had in that moment, and then my anger flared and I pushed you, but I promise you, the moment that I realised what happened, I instantly regretted it, without a second's delay, I deserve the worst from you, yet you greeted me with a smile, your stories and courage have inspired me and a lot of other people, thank you."

"I can not put into words what I feel right now, all the anger I had felt, was gone the moment Ethan and I were together again, I know what it feels like to want to compete with everyone, you feel tired because you wear yourself out, you do everything to stand in the spotlight, but then someone sweeps in, someone you hate, and voila, what you work for is theirs. No exceptions, right?" Leah said, in one big breath.

"Exactly." Mindy replied, as she remembered suffering with her self-confidence because of Leah, "You know, you became the most popular, you were a tough competitor, I had not faced someone who had their shit together so much before, I was intimidated, you seemed like you knew everything, and you had everything, but then your scandal, the fact that you purged and binged, the fact that you were a bulimic, it hit me like a rock, I had almost started idolising you, and in idolising, hating you, when I exposed you, I just couldn't see how much it could hurt you, but then I saw and met different bulimics in the facility that I was being treated at. I realised that I had committed some heinous, unforgivable crimes, yet if you do forgive me, it would make me feel at ease, when you fell, I thought of what I wanted to do if you died, I would kill myself too, but then I was shipped off, after I heard about you being alive, I swear that was the biggest breath I've taken in this lifetime, I just want to say, I am really sorry for everything that I put you through, you had your own stuff to deal with, I made your problems a hundred times worse, I'm sorry." Leah took both of Mindy's hands in hers, and said, "I know what you're talking about, so many kids said that, they said that because I was always getting good grades, smiling, faking it, they believed the fake front, I was in a lot of pain, but I had to go through it, I hope that you are better now as well, you know I used to envy you, you seemed effortlessly perfect. And that day when you called me after my play won, it was like a celebrity had called me; but I guess everything can look glamorous, right? We are all competing against the wrong people. The person that lives a thousand miles away from me concerns me as little as the person a mile in front of me, we have to compete against ourselves, if we make a million mistakes today, we have to try and reduce it by one, as long as we try to outdo ourselves, that is enough. Why waste time trying to do something not even animals with brains smaller than ours and simpler than ours do. They try to defend themselves, and eat their food, rather than trying to push food off someone's plate, they mind their own business, our complex brains make this world look like a pungent mess, but that isn't it, just like Emily Dickinson said, "The soul selects her own society", we choose who we want to be, not someone else, it is worthless trying to compete to stand under a light that is borrowed anyway.

I think that what I learnt in high school was that, it definitely wasn't the end, the world grew bigger with me everyday, it watched me cry, and laugh as I grew and almost became a companion, it isn't a secret anymore, I used to hate myself, but I hope that no one else has to go too far before finding themselves, the answer, after all, lies within, contrary to what most think, look inside and you will see your own multiverse."

Mindy smiled a polite smile, currently she was studying to get a degree and become a licensed therapist, she wanted to help herself become someone who makes the world better, by keeping it in, she had exploded, she hoped that people would have her to vent to, someone, even one person was enough, as long as she could help. We all try our best to be useful, don't we?