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The sunrays peeked through the curtains and hit my face. For a few seconds, I just lay there, eyes half-open, feeling the calmness of the moment, birds chirping, leaves rustling outside, the air cool and fresh. It was beautiful… too beautiful for a Monday.
Urghhh it’s Monday.
And then—my alarm screamed at full volume, ruining the vibe instantly. I groaned and smacked the clock.
There goes my peace.
I sat up, rubbing my eyes, and then it hit me….my first day at the new school. My heart started racing. Excitement and nervousness twisted together like two opposite threads.
“Okay, breathe, Ruhii…..just breathe,” I told myself before rushing to the bathroom.
The cold water on my face was like a slap of reality. I brushed, showered, and slipped into my freshly ironed uniform. The smell of new fabric made it feel real.
And then came the hardest part. Not school. Not teachers. Not new people.
The braid.
There I stood in front of the mirror, holding my brush like a warrior about to go to battle, “Okay, Ruhii, we practiced this. Over, under, over…no, wait, was it under, over?”
Five minutes later, my braid looked like it had survived a tornado.
“Ughhhh! Why do I always mess this up?” I muttered. “How hard can it be? It’s literally just hair.”
But no, my hair had other plans. It had its own chaotic personality.
Like seriously I don’t know why I messed up i tried to learn so much but still I can’t tie my hair. Trust me I am very bad at hairstyling my hair so definitely making braids is also too much for me.
I need my mom’s help, so I run downstairs and ask her, “Mumma, can you please help me with my braid?”
She was sitting at the dining table with her glasses on, flipping through thick case files. Her coffee was half-drunk, and her eyes looked tired but focused. “Mumma, can you please help me with my braid?”
But she says, “Ruhi beta, not now. You need to learn to do this on your own. I won’t always be there to help you. I’m reading an important case today for surgery.”
Her tone wasn’t rude, but it was enough to make my heart sink a little.
“Oh… okay,” I said quietly and went back upstairs.
This situation always happens to me – my parents are always so busy with their lives. They don’t even ask if I’ve eaten or how I’m feeling or what happened at school. Am I feeling comfortable, in school? Did I have any friends?
I wasn’t blaming them. I knew their work mattered. But sometimes… I just wanted ten minutes. 10 minutes from their 24 hours. Was that really too much to ask?
I blinked away the sting in my eyes. “No, Ruhi, don’t cry,” I whispered to myself. “You can do this. You have to learn.”
I picked up the comb again and tried once more. My fingers fumbled…same result. I was about to give up when I felt someone’s hands gently take over.
I saw him in the mirror, and there was my savior, my brother. I smiled at him. He’s always been very kind; since childhood, he has taken care of me just like his own child – always feeds me, helps me, and does my hair.
“Done,” he said, stepping back.
I turned around and grinned, giving him a thumbs-up, “You are the best.”
He chuckled and ruffled my hair. “Don’t do that, bhai!” I protested. “You will ruin it.”
He chuckled and said, “I can’t help it.”
He caressed my cheeks, kissed my forehead and said, “All the best, baccha…do your best…remember my wishes are with you and if there’s any problem, I’m here.”
I smiled at him and nodded.
After breakfast, I rushed out, strap of bag testing on my shoulder, shoes squeaking slightly against the pavement. The morning breeze hit my face. It should have calmed me, but my stomach was a mess of nerves.
When the yellow school bus arrived, my heartbeat doubled. I climbed in slowly, aware of eyes following me. Everyone seemed to already know each other, laughing, chatting….while I stood like the new exhibit in a museum.
Relax, Ruhanika. Just sit.
I slid into a window seat and pressed my forehead against the glass. The world outside was moving, trees, cars, people and I silently prayed for no drama today.
As the bus stopped, a girl with captivating black eyes and long, shiny hair, sat beside me. She had a friendly smile, and her features emitted warmth. Her eyes sparkled with kindness, and her hair cascaded down her shoulders in glossy waves.
“Hi,” she said cheerfully, sitting beside me.
“Hello,” I replied softly.
“Are you new here? This bus is usually for class 11,” she asked, slightly raising her eyebrow.
“Yeah. I am Ruhanika Oberoi.”
“I’m Tanya Shekhawat. Nice to meet you,” she said, her smile widening.
We shook hands, and I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful and sweet Tanya seemed. Yet, my past experiences reminded me to be cautious.
I don’t want to sound rude but seeing my past experiences I need time to examine the people’s personality and I work in the principle of never judging a book by its cover so i just want to insure that I won’t get hurt easily and let other people hurt me.
“Which stream are you in?” She asked.
“PCMB,” I replied.
Her eyes lit up, “Oh! We might end up in the same class. That’s great!”
Her energy made me smile despite myself.
When we reached school, she said, “I need to stop by the stationery shop. You go ahead. I am sure we will end up together anyway.”
“Okay, I’ll head to the school office for my class information,” I replied, giving Tanya a small smile before walking off.
I was looking at my new syllabus schedule and began analyzing my study plan.
I was so deep in thought that I didn’t want even the slightest disturbance. Soon, I entered the corridor and took out my small formula sheet from the flat pocket of my bag, the one where I keep all my important revision notes and topic summaries.
I started going through it quietly, revising so I could have a better understanding when the teacher would explain the chapter in class.
I was just walking when someone collided with me, causing me to kiss the ground and get scratched on my elbow. My book fell on the ground.
The sound of a bag hitting the floor echoed through the corridor, followed by the soft thud of a basketball rolling away.
A small metallic cling made me glance down, a key had fallen near my shoes. My eyes caught the small tag attached to it that said Locker No. 17. Must be from the sports room, I guessed instantly.
When I looked up, the person responsible for my almost-face-plant was standing right in front of me.
He was wearing the uniform, the shirt slightly untucked, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and his tie hanging a little loose, like he didn’t really care about neatness. His hair was messy, strands falling over his forehead.
But then my eyes met his.
Dark chocolate-brown, deep and rich, the kind that pulls you in without permission. There was something sharp in them, something unreadable. His expression was blank at first, then slightly annoyed, but I couldn’t look away.
Well, it’s not the time to notice someone’s eyes, Ruhi, I scolded myself internally. You literally just crashed into him.
Still, something about him felt different, a mix of calm and intensity. But then I throw all the weird thoughts from my mind and focus on the situation.
“Can’t you see?” I yelled at him while standing up. Ahh because of him i got hurt.
“Excuse me,” he replied, standing his ground and meeting my gaze.
“Mr. Whatever, can’t you see where you are going?” I fired back, still annoyed. My elbow stung, and honestly, my patience had already left the building. I don’t know where this anger came from but it looks like my nervousness took place in the form of anger. Does it happen to all people.
Deep breaths, Ruhii… or throw your book at his face. Both are valid options. Well for now i am choosing the first option.
“First of all who the hell look into books while walking,” he shouted.
I flinched at his tone.
What is his problem can’t he talk like a sane person What’s the need for shouting.
‘Well technically you were also shouting,’ my subconscious mocked.
“Well, Mr. Whatever,” I said sharply, “for your information, I was walking perfectly fine. You were the one running like the corridor is your personal racetrack!”
“Can’t you just accept it’s your mistake?” he said coldly. Rude.
“Why would I, when it’s clearly not? You were running in a corridor where it says ‘Dont run,’ “I pointed at the board nearby, trying to sound calm but failing miserably.
Seriously, it was his fault, I was just walking silently, and he collided with me.
“Listen, miss, you can’t talk to me like this.”
“Oh, my apologies, Your Highness. I forgot we’re in the presence of royalty. Please, forgive my peasant tongue,” i retorted back with my most fake innocent voice.
“You….”, he started to speak but I cut him off.
“God has given you perfectly fine eyes, use your eyes wisely…” I said as matter of fact and muttered “ankhein hain ya button.”
(Does he have eyes or buttons)
I glared at him in anger and headed towards the school office.
What a silly person. Stupid species of Chimpanzee. I wish to never meet him again.
The universe, of course, loves irony.
Shaking my head, I walked straight to the school office again, I had to confirm my ID and class section anyway.
The office smelled faintly of freshly printed papers and coffee, that typical school mix of chaos and calm. The lady behind the counter looked up the moment she saw me.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” I said politely, trying to sound confident despite the nervous flutter in my chest. “I just wanted to confirm if my ID and class details are properly updated.”
She took my ID card, her nails clicking softly on the keyboard as she checked the system. After a few seconds, she looked up with a small smile, “Yes, everything’s fine, Ruhi. You are in the Class 11-C, PCMB section, on the third floor.”
I smiled a little and replied, “Thank you.”
I nodded in acknowledgment as he directed me to my class.
Looking at the board that read 11 Sci–C, I entered the classroom, my heartbeat quickening.
The room was filled with unfamiliar faces, everyone was busy finding their places, adjusting, pretending not to be nervous.
After 10th grade, everything changes, old friends drift away, and new ones are yet to come. We all share the same emotions, excitement tangled with fear but our reasons are different.
I found a seat near the window, my favorite kind. From there, the school garden stretched out in soft shades of green and color. Rows of flowers swayed gently in the morning breeze, the petals catching sunlight like little sparks of peace. For a few minutes, I just stared outside, letting the chaos of the first day fade into the background.
“Ruhaannnikkaaa!” a voice called out, soft and familiar.
I turned to see Tanya walking in, her face glowing with excitement sitting beside me.
“Oh, can I sit here?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
“Ahh, you are already sitting here,” I teased, laughing.
We both burst into laughter, light, easy, and oddly comforting.
As she settled beside me, I glanced out the window again.
I didn’t know what the year would bring, maybe friendship, maybe lessons, maybe something I hadn’t imagined yet. But for the first time that morning, I wasn’t scared.
Balancing schoolwork, stress, and the teenage phase with everything else in life can be tough.
But I understand that facing challenges is normal, and I’m committed to giving my best effort and working through any obstacles that come my way.
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Finally Chapter 3 out…!!!
And who do you think of the person who collided…well I think everyone knows…
Please Vote and Comment…😊
Stay tuned for further updates…!!!
Bye Cutiepies….!!!🍁
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