The Fated Illusion

Eloisa stood at the entrance of University and started walking inside like a usual daily routine, as she walked inside a lot of thought consuming, it got cut off when she was sensing someone would come to her. One of her block mates did not casually greet her. “Eloisa! Ready for your class?” Clara called, her tone deceptively cheerful. She hates her presenting aura in front of her, knowing she will just have to deal with sarcastic talk again , but she quickly masked her irritation as usual. “Absolutely,” Eloisa replied, her voice steady, though her insides churned. She adjusted her uniform blazer, trying to project confidence. “Just remember, it’s not about how smart you are, it’s about how you present yourself,” Clara added, a hint of malice beneath her. “Of course, because the image is everything,” Eloisa shot back, her smile tight not reaching the eye level. "As you said Eloisa, just do your best and good luck" Clara said back to her with a last look to tease her before she leaves. As she entered the room, her eyes landed to other vacant seat far away from a bunch of noisy people, she sat there, then a prof enter the class and everyone became quiet. " Good morning class before I start my discussion, I just want to announce to give your results grade in biochemistry project " prof said as he prepared a paper results to give on students When she receive the paper , she saw her mark, a slight smile painted her face, a relief feeling that she get a good mark. "All your works really impressed me guys!" He said while looking on the students,but his eyes landed to one person and continue to speak. "But I just want to congratulate Mr. William for getting A+ among all of you, his works are exceptional and the research done" There Professor said proudly looking at him, in return he was almost shocked by the results like he did not expect it, but quickly masked it with a humble smile. "Thank you sir, I appreciated it so much! " he said happily then looked back on his paper. That made Eloisa insecure, she look at him and back to her paper. 'How could he manage to get those grades? My research on this project is done perfectly, I even advanced study this before the project came' venting out in her thoughts while staying calm outside, is hardly for her to control, but she still manages it. "You all did great with your project presentation,your individuality uniqueness can be seen on your work hope you guys can still showcasing it for our next project on this coming semester" He claspased his calouse hands together after saying that , then prepared the lesson plan to start a discussion. While the other person only had a hideous smirk from not so far away from her, enjoying the scene. Class dismissal already, she is packing her books in her locker to prepare for the next class when someone spoke. “Still sulking about your grades?” Clara said in a mocking tone , then started to walk in her locker where not so far to Eloisa. Eloisa looked up, maintaining a calm facade. “Oh, Clara, I didn’t realize you were the authority on everyone’s performance. How’s that working out for you?” Clara mocked innocence, placing a hand on her chest. “Touchy, aren’t we? But honestly, it’s hard to shine when you’re always..... Trying hard" she said with a strong tone in "trying hard" to irritate her more. Eloisa forced a smile, masking her irritation. “ It's so simple Clara, maybe you tried it before, but it didn't work for you" " If you keep on insulting me, you are just showing how insecure you are" Clara rolled her eyes, clearly backing off. “Keep convincing yourself Eloisa. " Clara said as she came near her " Don't be over confident to yourself honey" she leans in to her face while mocking her " It's seasonal, maybe it's your time now, but who knows , it's someone 's time to shine" she continues to say Deep inside of Eloisa, it makes sense but she tries to maintain the cold demeanor in front of her " You are not always on the top, someone will take it from you" as she leans in more to whisper that part. "Like this " Then she snatched her tuxedo necktie and pulled not too harsh to hurt her ,just to demonstrate her message to her. Eloisa wanted to punch her face after the moment she did that, but instead she diverted her anger feeling by gripping her skirt uniform tightly. " He will snatch your position in the dean's lister soon, so secure your position wisely honey" Eloisa doesn't need a name for that, she knows what Claira is describing. "Anyways, I'll leave it here bye bye" As she finally let her go her necktie and walked away. Eloisa felt the familiar knot of anxiety in her stomach. She hates to admit that she makes sense, to that transferee student guy, who ace every report and activities. As anxiety rises more, Eloisa forces self to calm down, but it doesn't help. Everything Claira said earlier triggers her now. But she quickly masked it,and pretended to be calm outside, afraid that someone or Claira was looking at her secretly and tried to record her panicking. Entering the classroom, she took her usual seat at the back, forcing herself to focus as the professor walked in. Even in the class, Clara’s words echoed in her mind, and she felt the pressure mounting. 'What if I mess up during my presentation? What if everyone sees how anxious I really am?' she is venting out again through her thoughts inside her head. The professor began discussing the next debate for tomorrow, and Eloisa tried to change her frustration into focus. When class finally dismissed, Eloisa packed her things, to leave. As she walked down the hallway, the anxiety still clung to her. Later that evening, Eloisa arrived home, the weight of the day still heavy on her shoulders. She entered the spacious house her father had built, its walls adorned with his legal accolades. The sight of him in his study, poring over case files, made her heart race. “Eloisa,” he called, his voice stern but familiar. “Come here.” as his eyes demanded to look at her straight. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the room, the scent of polished wood mingling with the faint aroma of sandalwood. “Yes, Dad?” “I heard about your project results today,” he said, his gaze sharp. “You need to maintain a good image, especially with your mother gone. I can’t have you dragging our family name down.” He said with a warning tone on each word Eloisa felt a guilt twist in her stomach.But tried to maintain a solid posture “I tried my best, Dad. I thought I did well.” “Just make sure you’re at the top of the Dean’s List. You can’t be content with what you have, you have to work hard to maintain it.” He leaned forward, his intensity palpable. “And you need to study more about politics. After graduation, I’m enrolling you in law school" He said, not caring what her daughter really wants to do. "You'll get your masteral degree, and you need to join more toastmasters for exposure,just like I did" He said as if his decision is final and won't be changed forever. Her heart sank. She wanted to argue, to express her passion for baking and her dream of owning a restaurant, but the words stuck in her throat. Instead, she nodded, the pressure weighing heavily on her. “I’m doing my best. It’s not easy for me,” she managed, her voice barely above a whisper. “I understand that, but you need to rise above it,” he insisted. “Every time you falter, it reflects on me. You don’t want people thinking you can’t handle the pressure, do you?” He tapped the pen with a little frustration of seeing a sign of weakness to her daughter. Eloisa forced a nod, feeling trapped. “I want to make you proud, Dad, but—” “Your mother would have expected more from you,” he interjected sharply. She hated it, when the mentioning of her mom whenever this conversation came, just to use it to manipulate her. But at the same time her chest tightened. She longed for her mother’s encouragement, a voice to validate her dreams. She shifted uncomfortably. “I just want to follow my passionate dad, and besides we have a owned restaurant, maybe I can handle them better, if you let me take a marketing course ” a desperate hint of tone while she is saying it to him,hoping he will change his father's mind “Baking is a whim, Eloisa. You should aim for a solid career. A judge’s path is what you should pursue.” He said while shooting a glare at her, getting enough with her reasoning. "I don’t care if you prefer business, this is about our family legacy. A judge holds more power than any businesswoman." He said in a firm tone " You need to be wise, to understand how to wield that power. I didn’t work tirelessly for you to settle for anything less than becoming a judge. " He said, as his mind will never change. Her frustration bubbled beneath the surface, but she kept , holding back her true feelings. Instead, she stared at the family portrait on the wall, her mother’s radiant smile a bittersweet reminder of what was lost. “Your mother wanted you to succeed ,you have potential, and I expect you to use it wisely,” he continued. Eloisa felt broken inside. She wanted to tell him about her love for creating new coffee flavors, about how those moments with her mother had shaped her dreams. " This is the last time that we are going to talk about that dream of yours, forget about it and focus on what's reality." He said in a warning tone she nodded , the weight of his expectations pressing down on her. “I’ll do better,” she promised, though the words felt hollow. He just nodded in response As she left the room, Eloisa felt both motivated and crushed. Her father’s ambition for her was a double edged sword, pushing her toward excellence while simultaneously reminding her of her shortcomings. In the solitude of her room, she collapsed onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. “Why can’t I just be enough for him ?” she whispered to herself, the weight of expectations pressing down harder than ever. “I want to make you proud, Mom… but it feels impossible.” frustration slip through her voice. "Dad is stressing me out, he is so close minded" she said almost choking to throat , due to preventing in long minutes to cry in front of her father. Tears filled her eyes as she fought against the pressure. If only her mother were there, she knew she would feel better,her mother would have held her close and reminded her that love was greater than anything, that she was enough just as she was. A painful wave of grief washed over her, and she buried her face in her pillow. “I miss you so much, I wish you're by my side” she choked out, recalling the warmth of her mother’s embrace. If only she could hear her mother’s voice again, but the reality that she is gone makes it harder for her to move on from those memories with her. "Mom I really need you" she thought desperately. “I need someone to support and stay by my side, no matter what.” she says, as if her mother is there by her side listening. Eloisa wiped her tears, knowing it will not happen in reality. With a heavy sigh, she pulled out her textbooks to review in the study table, preparing for debate ethics tomorrow.