On my window

Same district

I was already late for school, so I left in a hurry without eating.

On my way, I met my schoolmate who was popular in school because she was the best in mathematics. I walked past her but she greeted me.

I felt bad instantly for passing her by and not greeting. "Hey, you are Ella, right?" I said uneasily.

"Yes, and you are Olivia?" It was awkward because we knew each other, yet we acted like we didn't.

"You are hilarious, Ella the nerd. I didn't know you socialised." I said playfully.

"People make fun of me to undermine my potential, but they can't." She said confidently.

"Yes, it can never be undermined!!" I had to say that because she sounded awkward. Ella giggled.

We walked inside school without saying another word. Lessons were ongoing. She had to go to her class. Ella was in year 12, and I was in year 13. It seemed like my friends were mostly my juniors because I had another friend from Mia's class. I was quite social. I knew very well that I was an introvert whose social battery could drain at any time.

I entered my class and went straight to my desk. I was already hungry. My friend Zoe looked at me and smiled. When the teacher left, she came to me.

"What's up, pal? Your expression was stern when you came in." Zoe and I were not good friends because I found her envious and toxic. Regardless, she was cheerful or maybe pretended to be. I could only keep up with her because she was funny. That was a trait I admired. It boosted my childlike personality.

"I'm okay, thank you." I found it cringe telling people I was hungry.

"Okay, so is the nerd your friend? I saw you guys through the window." I found the question unusual.

You know I have friends from lower years, and so how is that a problem? She left at once, annoyed.

I wished that was what happened. Instead, I said, "We are not friends. I just found out she lives in the same district as me." I could be very timid.

"That's cool. Alright, I have to go and do my project. Catch up later."

The way I kind of belittled myself amidst my classmates was perhaps the reason my close friends were from lower years. I knew it was more than that, though. There was an authentic connection I had with them. It was a sisterly bond.

I was on my own, so I was bored and hungry. I just waited for dismissal.

It was dismissal time. I packed my things and went to meet Mia and Emma. I met Ella first, so I waved at her, and then she started coming towards me. I could be cynical, I couldn't help but wonder why she wanted to be my friend.

"I was just greeting you." I just knew I had to say that.

"Yes, I know, but since we live in the same district, we can go together." She said enthusiastically.

"Yeah, sure, I just have to call my friends." The way my gaze was fixed on her one would think that I wanted to harm her. We approached Mia's class, and she was waiting outside her classroom with Emma.

"Hey Emma, did Mia tell you about the project? I expected you yesterday, but you didn't come. Mia said you were busy." Emma and Mia were family friends, but they weren't fond of each other. I didn't know why they were distant. Even though Mia had said that Emma was selfish and unkind but Emma was such a lovely girl, that's why she was my friend. I knew Mia was just being shady.

"No, she didn't tell me about it yesterday. She only talked to me today to tell me it was time to go." Emma sulked.

"Mia, will you be happy if she fails?" I was talking to Mia, who was glaring at Ella. "Mia! are you listening to me?"

"Sure, she smirked. I didn't know Ella was your friend." Ella was definitely uncomfortable she looked at me in a way that inferred that Mia was a psychopath.