“Nashra, are you listening?”

“Hmm,” I replied. The truth was, I wasn’t listening. How could you listen when your head is pounding and your heart is racing? I couldn’t focus on Ammi’s words. The phone in my hand felt like a bomb, destroying every rational thought.

“Send your pics :)” is what the message said.

“What to send?” my mind screamed. Alina was probably waiting for a reply, and the group chat was, as always, ready to admire her. And I was overthinking everything.

“And then your Nani has to shop for clothes, so I’ll drop you at her house. You can stay with your cousins until we come back, okay?” Ammi asked.

“Yeah, that’s fine,” I replied absentmindedly.

I decided to play it safe and sent one where my face was half-hidden. Something is better than nothing. I put down my phone and sighed.

I was never the kind of person everyone wanted to befriend. My dark skin had always been a target of mean nicknames, and my curls had also been criticised. Though now, with social media trends, it had become slightly more acceptable. I’m still waiting for the day when colourism stops being normalised.

I wasn’t popular. I wasn’t well-known. I was just… there. Someone people knew, but couldn’t quite remember.

Later, I went to Nani’s house. I was happy to see Aimen, my cousin. She was full of energy, like a tornado with sparkles.

“Nashra! I finally started a new anime!”

“After a month?” I raised my eyebrows.

“I had exams!” she protested, dragging me into her room and launching into a full rant about the plot.

I zoned out. Aimen wasn’t afraid of being herself. Was it just me?

“Hey, Nashra! You okay?” she asked, suddenly serious.

I sighed. “You remember Alina? She makes me feel left out. I’ve tried everything, but she treats me like I don’t matter.”

Aimen went quiet for a moment, then said, “Do you want advice or should I roast you first?”

“Advice,” I muttered.

“Be yourself. If people find it weird, that’s their problem. Life is too short for this. It won’t be easy, but find people who are worth your time. Someone out there will like you for who you are, even if it’s just me.”

The next day, I tried to follow her advice. In debate class, we were given the topic of being ourselves. Everyone supported it. I felt hopeful.

After class, I went up to them. “You guys were awesome!” I said, nudging Alina slightly.

She glared at me. “Watch where you’re going, freak.”

I stepped back, my confidence fading instantly. Changing is hard. Everyone talks about it like it’s easy, but it isn’t. It’s easier said than done.

That evening, when I got home, my phone buzzed again. It was the group chat. For a moment, my heart started racing, just like before. I opened it slowly. Messages, reactions, pictures, everyone was there, as usual. Perfect angles. Perfect poses. Perfect replies.

I stared at the screen for a while. Then I scrolled up to the picture I had sent earlier, the one where my face was half-hidden.

I hesitated. Then, quietly, I opened my gallery again. This time, I chose a different picture. Not perfect. Not edited. Just me. My finger hovered over the send button.

For a second, all the doubts came rushing back. “What if they laugh? What if they ignore it? What if…”

I took a deep breath and pressed send. Nothing dramatic happened. No sudden change. The chat kept moving, just like always. But somehow, I felt a little lighter.

Maybe not everyone would accept me. Maybe some never would. But hiding myself hadn’t helped either.

As I put my phone aside, Aimen’s words echoed in my mind, “Someone out there will like you for who you are.”

And for the first time, I thought… maybe I should start by being someone I like too.

Published in Dawn, Young World, April 25th, 2026