11

Aditi had always been the one to stand out, but recently, it wasn't for the reasons she wanted.

She had grown accustomed to people noticing her-whether it was for her academic achievements or her poised demeanor-but this attention was different. This was unwanted.

It started out small, just little things that she could dismiss: whispers when she passed by, some random remarks from people she didn't know. But then, as the days went by, it escalated.

Shreya, her classmate who was always so polished and perfect in everyone's eyes, had started paying an unusual amount of attention to Aditi.

Aditi had never quite figured out why Shreya had started targeting her, but the words were sharp, cutting deeper than they ever should have.

It wasn't the usual school gossip. No, Shreya had found a way to be more cruel, more personal. And Aditi could feel the sting of every comment, every insult. It wasn't just about her grades or her success-it was about her very presence.

But what could Aditi do? She couldn't go running to Shruti, not this time. Shruthi was her best friend, her confidant, but this... this wasn't something she could explain.

Shruthi would worry.

Shruthi would try to fix everything, tell her parents, maybe even confront Shreya. And that would only make things worse. Aditi didn't want to burden Shruthi with this. Shruthi had enough on her plate already with her own troubles, and Aditi didn't want to seem weak in front of her.

So, Aditi decided to handle it on her own.

But handling it wasn't easy.

One day, after a particularly grueling class, Aditi found herself walking to her locker when she noticed Shreya and a couple of her friends standing nearby, whispering. As she approached, Shreya looked up and smiled, a slow, taunting smile that sent a chill down Aditi's spine.

"I've been wondering, Aditi," Shreya said, her voice loud enough for everyone to hear, "how does it feel to be the perfect little student? Always first in class, always showing everyone up. I bet it's lonely at the top, isn't it?"

Aditi didn't respond. She kept her gaze straight ahead, refusing to give Shreya the satisfaction of seeing her rattle. But Shreya wasn't done.

"Tell me, doesn't it ever get tiring? Pretending to be so perfect? Maybe you're not as flawless as you think you are."

Aditi clenched her fists, but she didn't speak. She just kept walking, faster now, hoping to escape before Shreya could say anything else.

But it wasn't that easy.

The next day, Aditi was in the school library, quietly working on an assignment when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Shreya standing there, with two of her friends lurking in the background.

"Do you ever take a break from being so perfect?" Shreya asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Or are you too busy trying to prove something to everyone?"

Aditi shook her head, standing up to leave, but Shreya stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

"You know," Shreya continued, "I was just wondering if you were trying to steal my spotlight. But don't worry, I'll let you have your moment. After all, you need to have something to feel good about, don't you?"

Aditi's heart was pounding now. She wanted to say something, wanted to fight back, but the words wouldn't come. Shreya's friends were laughing quietly behind her, feeding off the tension in the air. Aditi could feel the weight of their eyes on her, could feel the humiliation spreading.

Before she could react, Shreya stepped closer, and in a swift motion, she pushes Aditi over the bench. The force of the action made Aditi stumble back, she feels so tired and restless.

"Not so high and mighty now, are we?" Shreya's voice echoed in Aditi's ears.

Aditi's head spun. The force of the situation, the anxiety, the pressure-it all came crashing down in that moment. She felt lightheaded, dizzy. Her vision blurred as she took a step back, trying to steady herself. But everything was spinning, and before she knew it, she was sinking to the floor.

The last thing Aditi remembered before everything went black was the sound of footsteps rushing toward her, the murmurs of people around her, but no one's voice standing out.

---

When Aditi woke, she was no longer in the library. Her head was resting against something soft, and she could feel the coolness of a damp cloth on her forehead. She opened her eyes slowly, her vision blurry, and looked around. There were no familiar faces. No Shreya, no one from the scene. Just a few students gathered around her, looking concerned.

"What happened?" Aditi asked, her voice weak.

"You fainted," one of the students replied. "You were just... standing there, and then you collapsed."

Aditi blinked, trying to clear her head. It took a moment for her to piece together what had happened. Shreya's face, her taunts, the humiliation-it all rushed back in a wave. She had never felt so powerless before.

But just as she was about to stand up, someone entered the room. A shadow loomed over her. She looked up and saw him-Samir. Samir, the senior who always seemed to be somewhere nearby but never truly close. He was the one who had helped her, no questions asked. He'd arranged for her to be moved to the medical room, and he was the one who had made sure she was taken care of while everyone else just stood by.

Samir didn't say anything. He simply placed a hand on her shoulder, offering comfort without words.

Aditi's heartbeats faster. She didn't understand what had just happened, but the support, though unspoken, felt like a balm to her bruised ego. She had no idea that Samir was the one who had intervened, no idea that he had been the one to help her escape the chaos Shreya had caused. To Aditi, it was all a blur-a situation that she had to deal with on her own, even if she didn't yet understand the full extent of the help she'd received.

As Samir left, Aditi was left with her thoughts. She didn't know who had stood up for her, but in that moment, she realized that no matter how much Shreya tried to bring her down, she couldn't defeat the strength Aditi had inside her.