I arrived home late, so I expected to find my parents worried since I hadn't called them. However, I found my father lying on the couch, watching TV, and he didn't seem worried at all. He even had dinner without noticing my absence. So, I asked him, "Dad, didn't you notice that I was late coming back today?"

He answered belatedly, realizing the situation, "Did you just come back? I thought you were in your room. I called you, but you didn't answer, so I thought you were asleep."

"Where is mom?"

"She's on a night shift. She'll be back tomorrow. Do you need anything from her?"

"No, I just wanted to chat, that's all."

"Well, your dinner is in the fridge if you're hungry."

"I'm not hungry. I think I'll go to bed early."

It's strange. He didn't even ask about the reason for my delay. They must not care about me at all.

I entered my room and threw myself on the bed. I tried to forget what happened today, but I couldn't get it out of my mind. Every time I closed my eyes, the scene of him saving me from the pool came back. Talking with him was comforting and engaging. The last time I had such a conversation was with Yuna. She was a brilliant speaker with a cheerful and sociable personality, unlike me. We were different in character but similar in preferences and interests. We even admired the same actor when watching our favorite drama. I miss my dear friend a lot. If she hadn't moved to another city, I wouldn't be feeling this miserable. I wish I were in Marian's place now. I envy her for having Melo, and I don't think she appreciates his presence as she should.

The next day, I had to return Marian's clothes to her. Such a task may seem simple to anyone, but it's terrifying for an introverted person like me. I had to talk to her while being surrounded by five or six unfamiliar girls who would stare at me with unfamiliar faces. If I wanted to talk to her alone, I had to keep an eye on her all the time until I found the right opportunity. It's truly exhausting. The life of introverts is tiring, especially if they have a life at all.

I spent the whole day glancing at her, hoping she would notice me and understand my signals. However, she avoided looking at me all day. I felt like I wasn't much different from the air—invisible to her. Finally, a girl who was with her walked towards me and asked, "What's the matter? Why are you staring at us? Do you have something to say?"

I was nervous, but I had been waiting for this moment all day, so I replied, "Can you tell Marian that we should meet at the gym? I have something to give her."

The girl looked at me, clearly curious and wanting more details, but I stood up and left the classroom without giving her a chance to ask her questions. She probably thought to herself, "What does the unpopular me have to do with Marian?"

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The fate that brought us together is the same that will separate us. The hope that gave us an advantage will betray us in the end. This is what I felt when I saw her standing before me with the same innocence she always promotes. But I wanted to remove this mask, no matter what it took. I wanted to see her true nature. Does she have things she is ashamed of? Does she get sick? Does she regret any foolish words she has ever said? I wanted to tell her how much I hate her many times, and I wanted to see her reaction. Will she be saddened, or will she not care about my feelings at all?

She finally spoke after the staring contest we had been engaged in for five minutes.

"I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. You must have felt that I was criticizing you, even though I don't know you well."

I was surprised by her apology. She's not that bad, after all. I wonder, if only I wasn't so cowardly, could we have been good friends? I remember how Yuna always told me that I resemble the self that she doesn't show to anyone. Maybe Marian feels the same way about me.

She continued without waiting for my apology, gratitude, or anything:

"Okay, then. I've returned your clothes, and I've taken mine back. I hope we're even now."

I thought a lot about how to apologize to her, but I felt that words would not be enough. I took a paper out of my pocket, put it in her hand, and left, and she didn't try to stop me. I seemed to be separating from her calmly, as if she was playing the role of the crazy lover, but she was more understanding than I thought, and that suited her perfectly. That paper was the speech I had worked on the night before. I won't feel bad if she doesn't use it, but I felt satisfied that I had expressed my apology to her in this way, and that suited me.

After this incident with her, we returned to our previous lives and did not take a single step forward in this strange friendship, although I wished she would try again. But to be honest, something changed in how the other girls started looking at me. I became somewhat visible, but in a negative way. I think they hated the curiosity that surrounded me wherever I went. Yuna always told me that I have an attractive aura, even though I'm a bit of a weirdo. But I don't see it. All I think about myself is that I'm very simple, and every question about me has a clear answer, because I haven't left any question about myself unanswered.

That hatred turned into harassment after a while. I thought that staying invisible would be enough to protect me, but I was wrong. I didn't know if they were doing it for her or for themselves, but I was sure she didn't mind in either case, as she never objected. I ignored all the sarcastic and insulting comments hidden behind the veil of curiosity. But the matter became annoying when I started finding my things moved without my touching them, and my desk became like the lunch table they gathered around whenever my absence allowed. On a rainy day, I was sure I had brought my umbrella, but they took it. I went home completely soaked, and although I did my best to avoid falling ill, I couldn't.

Despite the fever and headache, I went to school, determined to resolve the matter with Marian. We met again by the school pool to remind her of her deed and that she is not as innocent as she promotes herself to be in front of everyone. She looked at me as I tried to control my anger, then finally said, "You know, I don't have authority over them. Nermin,You have to learn how to protect yourself and not let them disrespect you."

She was giving advice as if she really cared, and my social anxiety worried her, but I asked her with the same sarcasm that her advice contained, "So, will you be my teacher in this case?"

"Not that I want to be your teacher, but I can be your role model."

I laughed at her audacity that never ceases to surprise me, then said, "I don't mean to offend you, but I can't learn social skills from someone who relies entirely on their family's wealth to attract others' attention."

Both she and I knew this wasn't true, but I couldn't find anything else to insult her with. She was perfect, even in my eyes. But something angered her about what I said. She tried to maintain that celebrity smile and said, "Do you really mean that? I can't believe you said that!"

"Well, I'm not sorry for disappointing you."

"Nermin, do I have to do this to know how you really feel?"

"Do what?"

And in an almost fantastical way, and with a speed that my brain cells couldn't comprehend, Marian approached the pool and threw herself into it. My heartbeat accelerated, and fear froze my feet in place. A voice in my mind began to pray, begging God that this was just a prank and that she would quickly emerge from the pool before her air ran out. But she didn't. I waited long enough for her to save herself, but she didn't, and there wasn't enough time to call for help. So, I jumped into the pool, even though I wouldn't be of much use. But if she was going to die today, I couldn't live with the remorse it would cause me anyway.

I searched with my eyes for her in the depths of this huge pool, but I couldn't find her. I tried to swim to the surface, but something was pulling me down, as if it were a supernatural force that had decided to end my life this morning, and I couldn't resist it. It kept pulling me and pulling me until I ran out of air and fell into a deep slumber.