The first period was biology.
Isha liked biology. Not because of the subject — she found mitochondria boring — but because Mrs. Fernandes had a soothing voice and always smelled like cardamom.
Today's topic was the endocrine system. Isha doodled in the margins of her notebook: a tiny stick-figure teacher labeled "Hormonal Queen" and a lopsided thyroid floating like a balloon.
Next to her, Aniket passed her a note:
> Riya thinks hormones are a government conspiracy.
—A
She bit back a laugh.
---
☀️ Lunch Break: A Meltdown and a Mango Pickle
"Can you believe this?" Riya slammed her lunchbox shut. "My mom gave me dry chapatis again. DRY. No sabzi, no pickle. Just vibes."
"You can have mine," Isha offered. "Aarav packed too much for me."
"Remind me to marry your brother someday."
"He's eleven."
"I'm long-term planning."
As Riya dramatically unwrapped Isha's tiffin, Isha noticed Nina staring at her phone with a pale face.
"What's wrong?" she asked gently.
Nina hesitated, then showed her the screen — it was a scholarship rejection email.
"Don't tell anyone," she whispered. "I just… really thought I had it this time."
Isha paused.
Then quietly slid over half her mango pickle.
"Eat this. Cry later."
Nina laughed weakly. "Thanks."
"Pickle diplomacy," Aniket muttered. "Solving emotional crises since 3000 BCE."
---
🏠 Evening Routine: Sibling Shenanigans
Back home, Aarav had taken over the living room with Legos and loud YouTube videos. Their dad was snoring lightly on the sofa, open newspaper on his chest.
Isha tiptoed around like a spy until Aarav spotted her.
"Di, guess what?"
"What?"
"I finally beat the level where you fly the jet and shoot aliens!"
"Nice. And how's the math homework?"
"Aliens were harder."
She rolled her eyes and joined him on the floor, helping him rebuild a spaceship he'd accidentally crushed with his elbow.
---
🌙 That Night: An Almost Dream
No fire.
No blood.
Just… stone.
She stood in a place she didn't recognize — or maybe she did. It was quiet. Cold.
Statues stared at her from all sides — ancient, cracked, weeping stone.
They al
l had the same face.
Hers.
She jolted awake.
No words this time.
Only silence.