Where Is She?

Rhabi and I.

Life has never been easy for anyone. Some people help others but they don’t have anybody to help them, some people pretend to be happy, some people just don’t pretend at all. Some people put their anger on everyone. And some, some are just so good at hiding, when you look at them, you don’t know that they are sad deep inside, and that’s the case for me.

My aunt thinks I don’t have anything to worry about, what’s so interesting about a 15 year old girl? Nothing, right? Yes, but no, I do have things to worry about, come on, everybody does.

Today is my first day at this new school, I’m really nervous what if I’m in a class full of white brats? Or nonchalant dread heads? Or some over-religious classmates? Or literally nerds?

You would say I’m overthinking but honestly no, I just wanna be careful and watch out for myself.

“Jaya! Time isn’t waiting for you, hurry up now!” My aunt shouts from the kitchen.

“Chill aunt, I’m almost ready” I yell back.

My aunt keeps pressurizing me, she just doesn’t know how to take care of kids, and if I just talk back she’ll call that ‘une crise d’adolescence’ which is pure bullshit.

“Jaya!” My aunt calls again and this time, with an irritated tone.

I take my bag and head to the kitchen. My aunt is standing, hands crossed as if she was waiting for me to get into the kitchen

“Miss universe are you ready now?” She says sarcastically

“Sorry aunt, I was just-“ she cuts me off

“Shuush now take this and get into the car” she gives me a lunch box and drags me towards the car.

I sit on the passenger’s seat and she gets into the driver’s seat.

She stares at me without saying anything

“What?” I ask dumbfounded

“Your security belt”

“Oh come on aunt!!, this is childish”

“Your belt” she insists

“Okay okay” i say as I put on my belt.

I remain quiet during the car ride, my aunt glares at me without saying anything then back to the road. When we reach she glares at me again.

“Be a nice girl, can you do that for taty?” She says in a childish voice

“I’m 15! Not 5 oh God stop treating me like a toddler” I yell at her

She stays quiet then nods without adding anything.

“Sorry” I apologize feeling bad after yelling at her “I didn’t want to do th-“ she cuts me off again.

“Go now jaya, I’ll pick you up at 2Pm, have a nice day and call me if anything goes wrong” she says like a recitation.

I get out of the car and she drives away, as fast as a bullet.

...****************...

I walk towards the hallway and start searching for my class, suddenly a girl, obviously a nerd, bumps into me literally spilling her I assume ‘vegi-tab-balls’ juice on my 67$ crop top.

“I’m- I’m so sorry” she says almost getting on her knees

“Be careful next time, look at what you did”

“I’ll be careful next time, if- if you want..I- I can clean it in the school laundry room”

“And what will I wear? Your grandmother’s loose dress?” I say, my voice full of sarcasm

“I- I have a shirt you can borrow for today..”

I sigh annoyed and agree to what she proposed.

She takes me to the school laundry and gives me her white shirt which is- beautiful??

It suits me well, I thank her and let her clean my green crop top.

I stand there awkwardly, I don’t know what to say, I was rude to her while she was so angelic.

“What’s your name?” I ask

“Rhabi, what’s yours?”

“Jaya...”