chapter 2; Being Me (Episode 1)
1000 Words
Monday morning felt different.
For the first time since moving to Westbridge High, Maya didn't spend an hour trying to decide which version of herself she wanted everyone to see.
Instead, she walked over to the box that had been sitting in the corner of her room since the day they moved in.
She smiled as she lifted the lid.
Inside were her favorite hoodies, stacks of comic books, astronomy magazines, and the small trophies she had won in science competitions over the years.
"Welcome back," she whispered.
She slipped on a light blue hoodie over a pair of jeans, put on her glasses, and clipped a tiny silver rocket pin onto her backpack.
When she looked in the mirror, she didn't see the girl who had tried so hard to impress everyone.
She saw herself.
Her father knocked gently on her bedroom door.
"Ready for school?"
"Almost."
When she stepped into the hallway, he stopped and smiled.
"There's my daughter."
Maya laughed.
"I guess she's been hiding for a while."
"I'm glad she's back."
"So am I."
He gave her a quick hug before they left for school.
---
Walking through the front gates of Westbridge still made Maya nervous.
Some students noticed her glasses.
Others noticed the hoodie instead of the fashionable jackets she usually wore.
She could hear a few whispers.
"She looks different."
"Didn't she wear contacts before?"
"I actually like this look."
Instead of pretending not to hear, Maya simply smiled and continued walking.
She had spent too much energy worrying about everyone's opinions.
She wasn't going to start again.
---
When she reached her locker, Chloe waved excitedly.
"Morning!"
"Morning."
Chloe looked her up and down.
"I have to admit..."
Maya raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"You look happier."
"I am."
"I can tell."
Sophie arrived moments later carrying two cups of hot chocolate.
"One for me, one for Maya."
"You didn't have to."
"I wanted to."
Maya accepted the drink with a grateful smile.
She realized something that morning.
Real friendships didn't depend on expensive clothes or pretending to be someone else.
They depended on honesty.
---
Chemistry class soon began.
Mr. Wilson wrote a difficult equation across the board.
"Can anyone explain why this reaction occurs?"
For a brief moment, Maya hesitated.
Old habits were hard to break.
Then she slowly raised her hand.
"Yes, Maya?"
She confidently explained the answer, even drawing a small diagram on the board.
The classroom fell silent.
When she finished, Mr. Wilson smiled proudly.
"Excellent explanation."
Several students clapped quietly.
As Maya returned to her seat, she caught Ethan smiling at her.
After class, he caught up with her in the hallway.
"I knew you'd know the answer."
She laughed.
"I almost didn't raise my hand."
"Why?"
"I guess I'm still getting used to being myself."
"I'm glad you did."
"So am I."
---
During lunch, Ethan sat beside her beneath the oak tree.
"What are you reading?" he asked.
Maya held up her book.
"'The Search for Life Beyond Earth.'"
He chuckled.
"I've never met anyone who reads science books during lunch."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"It definitely is."
She looked at him curiously.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Why weren't you surprised when you found out who I really was?"
He thought for a moment.
"Because I noticed something."
"What?"
"The fake version of you always looked like she was trying to impress everyone."
"And the real version?"
"The real version forgets what everyone else thinks whenever she talks about something she loves."
He smiled.
"That's the version I like."
Maya felt warmth spread across her cheeks.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For making it easier to be myself."
---
A few days later, colorful posters appeared around the school announcing clubs students could join.
Drama Club
Debate Club
Photography Club
Robotics Club
Maya stopped walking.
Her eyes lit up.
She hadn't been part of a robotics club since leaving her old school.
"You should join," Ethan said from behind her.
She turned around.
"What if I'm not good enough?"
He laughed.
"I've heard you explain chemical reactions like a college professor."
"I think you'll survive."
She smiled.
"Maybe you're right."
That afternoon, Maya nervously entered the robotics lab.
Students were gathered around tables covered with wires, laptops, motors, and half-built machines.
A senior named Noah welcomed her.
"You must be Maya."
She nodded.
"We've heard you're really good at science."
She blinked.
"You have?"
"Ethan talks about you a lot."
Maya's face turned bright red.
"He... does?"
Noah grinned mischievously.
"Oh, all the time."
"'Maya figured out this equation.'"
"'Maya drew this amazing spaceship.'"
"'Maya knows everything about astronomy.'"
The other club members laughed.
Maya buried her face in her hands.
"Oh no..."
Before anyone could tease her further, Ethan walked into the room carrying a toolbox.
"What did I miss?"
Noah smirked.
"Nothing at all."
Ethan looked suspiciously at everyone before sitting beside Maya.
"You okay?"
She smiled shyly.
"I'm fine."
"Good."
Together, they spent the afternoon assembling a small robot designed to follow a black line across the floor.
Whenever Maya got excited about an idea, Ethan listened carefully.
Whenever Ethan made a mistake with the wiring, Maya patiently explained how to fix it.
By the end of the meeting, their robot crossed the entire track without stopping.
Everyone applauded.
"You two make a great team," Noah said.
Maya looked at Ethan.
He smiled.
"I couldn't have done it without my partner."
She smiled back.
Neither of them noticed Chloe watching from the doorway with a knowing grin.
"They're definitely going to end up together," she whispered to Sophie.
Sophie laughed.
"I've been saying that for weeks."
Neither Maya nor Ethan heard them.
They were too busy celebrating their tiny robot's victory—and enjoying each other's company.
For the first time in years, Maya wasn't pretending to be someone she wasn't.
She was simply being herself.
And somehow, that had brought her closer to Ethan than pretending ever could.
- Writer
