Chapter 1

"...and when one of them meets the other half, the actual half of himself, whether he be a lover of youth or a lover of another sort, the pair are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy and one will not be out of the other's sight, as I may say, even for a moment..."  – Plato

This stupid piece of alarm. Bruh...trust me, one day I'm gonna smash you for good. Such a peaceful sleep and that thing had to ruin it with its annoying clamor. Definitely, the world's worst sound award goes to your alarm.

My day started with the usual- me cursing my alarm. I knew very well this day was going to be the same as yesterday, the same as the day before yesterday, the same as the whole week, the same as the whole month. Yep, my life went like a cycle and the truth was that every one of my age's life is a cycle- recapping itself every day prompting us that we are ordinary people with ordinary life; nothing entertaining to do. I didn't even know the purpose of living like this you know, especially with the High School life I was enduring right then. It's gonna be over soon but still...it's not over yet! I'd to resist the urge to throw off these thick books loaded all over my bedroom for 4 more months!

I sat up on my bed to directly see my sticky notes of math equations written over the wall in front of me; one of my study tactics. Being a nerd was not easy you know. I read the notes and memorized them one by one. Then I got off my bed and went towards my bathroom for doing my...morning routine.

I took a quick dissolute shower and put on my ironed stiff-crispy uniform. I combed off the knots in my long wavy obscure hair and tied up in a comfortable ponytail. Then I looked over to my face in the mirror and sighed.

What should I do with you? I asked myself.

I've tanned skin, almost the colour of chocolate. Though I've a flawless smooth skin I.hate.it! This was the only thing I hated the most in my whole pathetic life; my skin color. The thing that singles me out from my sisters. They've porcelain skin; natural beauties, they say. My father's genes caused this misfortune to fall upon me, discriminating me from my sisters. Being the eldest child that's what I got first and my sisters inherited my mother's natural beauty; very impressive. YES, no doubt I'm jealous and I won't deny it (maybe in front of my family?). So I'm bestowed to live with this stuff sticking to me like a pair of wet pantaloons for the rest of my life.

The point is, whatever I do I can't hide my color. Even if I put makeup all over my face and cover up my entire face, the rest of the body remains. People put on makeup to either cover or highlight their features. To me, there is no point putting on makeup and thence I never put on a single bit of makeup. Yep, just blank face.

Scoffing at my face, I just put suncream on my exposed body parts. I glanced at my clock and ran towards my study table. I slid my thick books and science records into my austere murky bag. I stuffed my short notes into the side pockets of my bag and swung it over my shoulder. Ouch! Dang heavy. When will they even pass a law to condense the heft of this thing!

I took one last look at my room and rushed out to exit it.

Lurid music could be heard from the door across mine with a huge 'OUT OF HERE' poster mortared over the door with a danger sign; my sister Liya's room. How can she even sit inside it with that such hullabaloo? The sound is practically juddering through the walls. My mother is shouting from downstairs for her to get ready well...who hears!

I gamboled to the kitchen from where the delicious aroma of breakfast is flying towards my nostrils. I smiled at myself and went inside it to meet my mother who's busy cooking and talking to one of her student's parents by phone; she's the Headmistress of her school. And was pretty busy with her own life, every day. Who blames her anyway, it's tiring work.

"Morning mom" I muttered as she ended her call.

"Morning Mia" she came towards me with a hot dosa.

"Good morning, sister!" called out my 15-year-old sister beaming with her 1000 Watt smile. Aah…the usual morning sunshine well...24/7 sunshine.

"Ooof...sorry mom I'm late." there comes my 16-year-old sister with her usual excuse.

My mother just glared at her which my sister gladly brushed off as nothing and started piling her plate with breakfast. She then regarded us.

"Heyy sisters!" she snuffled.

My other sister smiled brightly almost blinding her and greeted her back.

"Liya, how many times should I tell you to put makeup to a minimum. You are going to school, not a fashion parade! Your face is caked with makeup! Brush your lipstick off young Lady!" my mother exclaimed. "Riya I get it you like the color pink but that doesn't mean you have to wear everything pink. Other colors exist too." finally she turned towards me and I knew what she was gonna say. "Mia..." she trailed off and sighed, "Please, I beg you. Put at least a foundation on your insipid face."

Let me give you an introduction on the characteristics of my sisters to clear things out.

Liya Sherin:

A pop fan, especially k pop. She is always seen with earphones and a phone. A typical music lover, more like music fanatical. She is as I've already mentioned, very beautiful with light brown eyes, straight black hair with brown highlights, and a wonderfully curved body. With all the points mentioned above, anyone can guess that she's the Queenka of our school. Yep, we three study at the same school. She's the most popular girl with a hundred fans in school and a thousand followers on social media. She is also a playgirl; a heartbreaker to be precise. I've seen her breaking many boy's hearts without any emotion, it's just a hobby for her. When asked about who she'll seriously date she'll point to a Korean guy in a poster on the walls over her bedroom showing a V-sign with a boxy grin. Don't ask me!

And my other sister Diya Sherin:

She has the manners and elegance of a princess. Everything she wears is either pink or white, and my mother hates that also, she'd tried many ways to stop that but in vain. She has natural straight light brown hair, hazel eyes, and a brilliant smile of hers which can attract people from even other planets. She's as popular as my first sister at school and on social media. She's very nice, kind, and caring, the exact opposite of Liya who's forthright selfish. Diya never dated anyone because she's waiting for her Prince Charming like in those stupid fairytales she reads every time. It's exasperating, yes. 

And finally me, Mia Sherin, who's a straight-A-student, typical geek, who can be described with none other than the word ordinary. Sometimes I do wonder if I really am their big sister. MY FATE!

I just finished my breakfast hastily and hurried out of my house(I don't go to school with my sisters, by the way). I unbolted the gate and treaded out to flora. The morning gust instantly hit my face rising goosebumps all over my body. I inhaled the fresh scent and started striding through the path towards the fields. I always take the shortcut to walk through this nature folly. Within minutes of walking, the narrow path widened towards the encompassing green field. The sun was blistering indistinctly as it was still early morning. Its emissions empaled through the dewdrops hanging from the tip of the sapling verdures. What a flamboyant sight to see! And when you guise ahead you see the mist ensconcing the summits of mountains...How I wish I could live in that jiffy!

I hastily marched to my bus to catch the bus and snooped to whatever morning melody was in the bus. It was jam-packed as usual, with workers and students with white earphones hanging from their auricles, not caring about the world around them at all. I stood in silence relishing the lenient and the sinuous music, soothing my nerves.

I got off the bus at our school entrance and walked inside my class nonchalantly. Everyone was in their own diminutive social bubble. Honestly, I didn't have any friends and I didn't bother to make some. I don't have time to build up trust and cry when it's gone. I had a purpose here and I'll go like everybody else after it's done. I'm not jealous of those susurrant huddles of popular girls, nor the flirting playboys...they live their life their way so am I.

I got inside my class first, yay! I commenced my day at school just like that by me not caring about my surrounding, just solving problems over and over, whether it be maths or chemistry or Physics.

Bell rang.

Prayer.

Monday test.

First period.

Second period.

Interval.

Third Period.

Fourth period.

Lunch break.

Fifth period.

Sixth period.

That's it. Teachers pending and going, teaching and coaching, me writing notes. Free time equal to oh yes supplementary problem-solving stint. Just a little chits- chats here and there with my parallel classmates. The life of a typical weed is just that. No fun just STUDYING...every.single.time!

But no grievances.

Seventh period, fortunately, the last.

"...a matrix is an ordered rectangular array of numbers or functions" blabbered Mr.Shameer "The numbers or functions are called elements or the entries of the matrix..."

I was lettering down the notes rather wild because the last bell could ring soon beckoning the class to end. I glanced at my wristwatch; 4:28 PM. Yep, 2 minutes to freedom. Oops sorry, partial freedom because I'm going to my house right.

RING!!!

"That's it, class. Do exercise 12.1 for tomorrow. And also don't forget to study for tomorrow's weekly test. Thank you" concluding, Mr.Shameer left the class. Yet another test, bruh.

I patiently waited for the boys to head out first, yeah yeah pushing and pulling like Kindergarten kids. I sent goodbye to my classmates and scampered out of the school. I'd to catch a bus early or I won't have time to study for tomorrow's test...yeah scream nerd at me!

With my dashing not-so-athletic sprint, I was able to catch the bus. 

Finally, I got out of the bus breathless. It was an exertion because I was nearly sandwiched between two middle-aged ladies. I had to wrestle myself out of them. I saw the bus conductor silently sniggering as I jumped out of the bus to whom I shot a glare, he immediately looked away.

I was yet again walking through the fields, sighed contemplating my irk life. To anyone who peaks into my life, it may seem like the most dreary thing ever, and I won't blame them because it absolutely is. Nothing exceptional. No intimate friends, no hangouts, no chill times, no laughter...ostensibly nothing. Just me and my copious sturdy books.

I was walking leisurely reflecting on my life when a group of trivial children ran past me tittering to themselves. I stared at them walking in front of me laughing with their hands around their shoulders. Friends...the word I haven't used for years. I don't even know the gist of it now. That fragment of my story was simply void. Well, what part of my story isn't blank?!!

I never knew those bemused parts of my life were going to be soon occupied by someone I didn't even know existed and vice versa. The pen to engrave in it was in the hands of someone singular, someone who was going to revolve my life incessantly with those modest thuds of footsteps.

Hearing the tacit footsteps of someone behind me, I turned around.

There stood a dude arrayed in winter clothes around him. He had smooth unruffled chocolate brunette hair dwindling into his eyes with rotund cheeks and a vibrant complexion. He beheld an endearing and stimulating guise at the same time with a sharp jaw and pink enviable lips. He was the most handsome man I've ever seen and with one glance, I could say that he's either a model or an actor. From the way he had dressed in the sweltering evening sunlight in those scarfs around his neck and fleeces, I could tell he was not from here. China or Japan maybe..? But what's he doing here in a village, it's kilometers away from the town and this is not a tourist spot.

"Are you lost?" I inquired in English.

His beautiful eyes enlarged as his plump chops parted in...astonishment?

He stared at me as he gingerly took a small step towards me as if I'd run away any instant. Finally, after a moment he asked, slanting in slightly.

"Y-You can see me?" he asked pointing at himself in.....Korean? He's a Korean then.

I know Korean because I boast a crazy hobby of learning novel languages and cultures every summer vacation. I know almost eight languages. I only studied Korean last vacation, it has now come in handy, I speculate?

"Of course I can see you," I said in Korean.

 His eyes broadened even more.

"But no one could see me before..." he mumbled to himself faintly but I caught it.

What's with this uncanny guy?

"Who are you talking to, Mia dear?" 

I turned to my back and saw Menon uncle, my neighbor, walking towards me.

"Aah uncle I was talking to this guy" I alleged, pointing at the Korean guy behind me.

He peeked behind me and shrugged, "There's no one there dear."

Now it was my turn to widen my eyes, "What?!"

I turned towards the Korean guy. He was still there staring at me and uncle with a tiny pout.

"But he is right there uncle" I pointed to the same spot.

Menon uncle just sighed and walked to the place where the fella was standing puzzled. Uncle was nearly going to smash into him when I shouted "Uncle wai-"

UNCLE JUST PASSED RIGHT THROUGH HIM. ALMOST AS IF HE'S TRANSPARENT!!!

My eyes widened with horror as I was frozen to the ground.

"See? No one's here." chuckled uncle, waving as I was watching his hands go through the guy's body. "Just go home, dear. You might have watched a horror movie or something. See you later" with that he strolled away muttering "..kids these days..."

This is IMPOSSIBLE.

The guy peeked at me with apprehension all over his face. "Are you o-okay?"

"No, no, no, no, no" I started chanting to myself thinking I was going paranoid.

"H-Hey, you okay?" he asked again, approaching me.

"NO" I shouted, startling him. "You're not real"

With that, I turned around and sprinted towards my house at full speed.