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A wish granted...
Dear diary,
I wonder why people are so hateful. I wonder why they call others rude names. I wonder why I am treated as an outcast.
Dear diary, life was becoming increasingly miserable for me. I hated waking up and going to school. It was not because I was not intelligent; on the contrary, I was considered brilliant. But even the stars in my report card did not cheer me up. I wished for just one day that my ‘class fellows’ would throw no taunting remarks at me. Just one, single day.
Your pages are full of the instances when the teachers asked me why I, such an exemplary student, sat alone, had no social life and did not go to parties. You have equally been littered by my inaccurate answers. “Madam it is against my nature." Or "friends disturb one in lectures." How wrong. How horribly wrong. Diary, for the first time in years I am admitting that every day a dagger pierces my heart. The dagger of scornful looks I receive from others and the mocking I am subjected to. I wish as tears roll down my cheeks right now, as every night, that someone would not reject me or think of me as an outcast, as an over-intelligent, insensitive little brat. It is times like this that I wish I could be a little more like my sister.
Then again I guess the problem is not with me. Everyone fails to understand me. Am I really so complex? As far as memory permits, I have always seen myself crying for someone who would come and say I am normal. I yearned for someone to speak to me in a friendly manner, but there was no one who would understand. Then one day someone stepped out and supported me and came as an answer to all my years of endless pleading.
It was a cloudy day, yet not gloomy. It was one of the most awaited days of my life. Class was in progress. My favourite teacher, Ms Aliya, was delivering the lecture when a new girl came into the classroom. As I sat alone, the teacher directed her to have a seat with me. It was then that many declared that such an occurrence would be a nightmare for the new girl. They labelled me rude and uncaring, too good to have a friend. Oh, I still remember how I laughed with them all and said "yes madam, totally". My vision was blurred with tears that no one saw.
However, my tears were balanced by my subsequent smile. Hajra, someone I had not known for long, stood up amongst everybody and lifted a chair and put it beside an old desk. The new girl made her way quietly to her new place in the class. Amongst the jeering crowd Hajra's voice uttered these brave words, "You all are laughing at her, but tell me, have you ever had the courtesy to try and understand and be friends with her?"
The entire class was engulfed by instant silence. My cheeks were red with happiness and warmth. That day I did not end my diary with the words "Gosh, when will everyone leave me alone?" Rather I ended my day with prayers for Hajra, the warm-hearted girl with a huge heart. And if Hajra ever reads this, I would like to say "thank you.”
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