Dreams , Love and Reality

The world had been quiet for a long time. When the COVID-19 break finally ended and Junior High beckoned, I told myself it would be a fresh start. But the silence of the lockdown had followed me home; it settled in my chest and turned me shy. The girl who used to laugh loudly and "fool around" had retreated into a shell, avoiding crowds and keeping her thoughts to herself.

On the day of orientation, I felt particularly exposed. My hair had grown bushy over the break, and to look presentable, I’d had it cut. But the barber went too short—far lower than I liked. I felt practically bald, a smallish girl wanting nothing more than to disappear into the ground.

I took a deep breath, smoothed out my clothes, and headed to the hall. My father, a teacher at the school, had given me instructions: "Sit at the very front." I sat there, isolated, waiting for my friend and her mother to join me, but they had already found a seat. I was left alone drowning in my thoughts until a man and his son approached.

"Are these seats occupied?" the father asked.

"No," I replied softly.

As they sat down, I tried to focus on my orientation manual, but my curiosity got the better of me. There were unfamiliar names on the class list, but it was the boy sitting right next to me who caught my attention. He looked different—younger, maybe.