The Ruined Rainbow

CHAPTER 16

The most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or touched even. They must be felt with the heart.
                  
  
                                          Hellen Keller.

Ayesha.

I walked down the corridor. The sky seemed gloomy, awaiting the sun. I had a sudden flash in my brain, about how I was expecting for a life. A proper Life.

Scolding my thoughts and weird analogies, I give a crooked smile about how funny, and weird my brain can think.

I suddenly look at my reflection in a mirror nearby. I get lost looking at it.

A young girl of 3 is waving at me. She has a happy smile. She has ear-length hair, pulled by a hairband.

She slowly transforms into a nerdy and studious ten-year girl. This girl has bulky books in her hands. She manages to hold them. She looks up. Her hairs are tied behind. She is wearing spectacles and looks like a typical nerd. She gives a toothy grin and waves back.

She then changes to a 13-year girl. She looks depressed. She gives a smile.

She then changes to a 16-year-old girl. She looks matured. Her hair has grown and falls loosely to her shoulder. She puts them back to a bun, but still, strands of hairs fall on her eyes, making her look pretty.  But her eyes can't mask the depression she is facing. She looks back to her book she was studying. When she looks up, she is depressed. Depressed.

She then turns to an 18-year-old girl. She is wearing white clothes. Her hairs open. Her eyes that we're black because of depression is now burning with tears. She looks at her fathers, pyre. She looks down, unable to control herself.  Her hand automatically reaches to the veil of her dupatta and brings out a paper.

She then turns to a 20-year-old girl. She is still a depressed girl. But now, she is used to it. She has become quiet. A look of fear is visible in her eyes. She tried to hide it but fails.  She is still a nerd and hates her life.

She looks down and walks away, leaving an Ayesha staring at the mirror. Ayesha looks down. She looked up again and adjusted her dupatta. She brought her hairs behind and still had a view of all six girls. She manages to give them a brave smile and says to her self everything is fine.

I continue to look at the mirror, with a confident smile when,

"Look, everyone." came the sprawling voice of none other than Tanisha.

I looked up. I  face her, with the books in my hand. I hug my sides to my chest with the books.

She drawer closer. I tried not to back away. I continue to look at her.

People have surrounded us. Some tool out their phones for a video, while others continue to point and laugh.
No one stood up for me.

That's not a surprise, though. I thought.

She stopped right in front of me.

"Guess, who was looking at the mirror, guys?"
She asked her group.

"Who?" They chorused.

"A lame," she drawer closer " ugly and a hideous hag." She chuckled.

Tears boiled in my eyes. But,

No Ayesha, no crying. No crying. Please, no sorrow.

After a great attempt at keeping my composure, I looked at her. I kept my gaze fixed to her and replied: