Today is the last day of my school life. The school which tended my growth ,moulding me into a person today I am. I gazed around me.

I tried to take every minute details of my school. I am gonna miss you and the fabulous days we spend together here in absolute mirth and solace with no worries of this world.

I walked silently like a loser. I felt my stomach twist into knots at the thought of leaving the safety confinements of my school.

I should be happy, leaving school is not a big deal. But something tugged at the back of my mind. Like, this will mark the end of a huge episode of my life . And what is in store next only good lord knows. I gulped hard.

By the way I am Pearl Adrianne Alvernis Silvester Xavier. Daughter of Caspian Silvester Xavier, A Tamil born Indian and Maria Caspian Xavier, A keralite.

so all in all I am a kid of cultural hybridization. Still I am proud to acknowledge that I am an Indian. Not any simple Indian. But a girl who has bravery, courage ferociousness and simplicity, as the ornament and virtue of my being. That is me Pearl.

I glanced at my bestie Smrithi, she is my one and only best friend. Our friendship started even before we stepped into this world. Yes, we are neighbours and that ensured our friendship even before we were born.

Well I am two months elder to Smrithi. She came after me. But she is always a great beam of support and kinda adviser to me in every situation of my life.

My mom and her mom became friends when Sudha aunty came to Jayashankar uncle's home as a new bride.

Jayashankar uncle was kinda a brother to my mom as she is a lone kid.Arrival of Sudha aunty marked a beginning of wonderful and strong bonding between our families. Also the fact that they are Tamil Hindus made our bonding even stronger.

Sudha aunty is from Chennai and Jayashankar uncle is a tamilian as well. His father happened to be a govt servant and worked in Kerala formerly. So they resided in Kerala.

My dad always enjoyed the company of Jayashankar uncle as they converse in Tamil. They never differentiated Ben and me from Smrithi. We were like their own kids and vice versa.

So likewise goes the story of our solid and great friendship. I cant recollect a day without getting the glimpse of my bestie Smrithi.

Also my art of making friends ended with Smrithi.

I am not socially awkward or clumsy. But I like to be myself always, looking into me, reading my mind, asking questions to myself and trying hard to gauge the mysteries of life.

Okay, that is deep. Leave it. Coming to the point, today marks the final curtain fall of a huge episode of my school libretto.

". ( Hey girl ! What are you thinking with this much depth?)" I heard my bestie's mocking voice which tossed me back to the reality.

I clicked my tongue slumping my shoulders indicating that it is nothing.She stared at me with her sharp hazel gaze. I avoided eye contact with her.

"No, you seem to be hiding something. You look pale and green Pearl for heaven sake. What has gone wrong with you? You are unusually silent. I agree you are a silent valley. But this silence gives an eeriness to me. Tell me what is bothering you this much?" Smrithi asked worry and concern creasing her features and layering her voice respectively.

Should I tell her the thing that is harrowing my mind on a daily basis from the day I came to know about it?.

I massaged my temple thoughtfully.

"Hey are you planning to launch a rocket to space or what? The kind of build up you are giving only asserts that fact" Smrithi said gleefully.

Yup she is a happy go lucky girl. She never worries about future or tomorrow. Her policy is take life as it comes. No worries or no regrets. According to her, we prone to regret in life if we plan something in our life and everything goes topsy turvy against our plans. So she asks me to float with the flow.

I am a bit different from her I have an urge to swim against the current than going with the flow.

"Pearl ,look this wont do. Just cheer up girl. Last day of exam!!! Yay!! Do you know what that means? Freedom !!! Whooo hooo!!!" She squealed in top voice with animated expressions and a scintillating sparkle in her eyes.

"Well, exam is not over yet. So that tension remains" I pointed towards the fact.

Smrithi snorted. While heaving her back pack on her shoulder.

"Tension ! Tension ! Girl what are you? Pressure cooker? From where all tension explodes out of you. I don't understand. I too am writing my exam today. See how at ease I am. Why cant you be like me pearl?" Smrithi bursted out like a lava which was waiting for an out burst for long time.

I stood for a moment glancing at Smrithi's fuming face.She is insufferable to this nature of mine. She wants me to be happy and cheerful at any cost. And she hates to see my self pitying nature. I am trying my best to redeem myself from this nature a lot.

I smiled at her with a tint of pain ornating my features.

"Because I am not you Rithi. I am just pearl a lost cause in every way" I said quietly with a forlorn expression.

"Ahh! What are you doing Rithi?" I screamed a bit when she pulled my long braid.

"Never call yourself as such you Idiot!! What happened to feel this much resentment. Did your lover leave you or what?" Smrithi asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

I smiled looking down.

"He will never leave me. Our relation is that strong. You know that as well" I said wiggling my eyebrow in a wavy manner.

The very small mention of him brings a soothing calmness in my innards and revives my whole being in a miraculous way.

"Pennu kollalo ithrayum neram entho poya squirrel ne pole ninnittu. Ippo ninnu chirikkunnathu kando. Nee sharikkum oru piri loose aanu ketto. ( Girl you are tricky. Look at you. How you were giving the look of a squirrel who lost its nuts all this time. And now the next instance you are smiling like an idiot. You are the craziest person of this era. I must admit) Smrithi said with a sly smile.

"You should look over the fact that whose friend I am? So such stuff keeps happening, Rithi. It is not my fault. It is the effect of my bad company" I shot back with a grin.

Smrithi stuck her tongue out at me playfully.

"Bye Rithi my block arrived. See ya after exam" I said while waving at her.

"See ya. All the best sweetie pearl." Smrithi chirped while walking ahead and waving her hand at me. I waved back while walking towards my class.

"Hey pearl. All set? " I turned my head towards a girl who was smiling at me. I nodded quietly.

I kept my bag outside and went inside the class. I sat on my place.

I looked around, so many thoughts deluging my thought process in a meticulously spiraling way.

I tried to dodge away from all the thoughts. I sucked in a deep breath and tried to focus on my present plight. But those words of my parents resonated on my ears like a death warning.

I felt paralyzed. I pressed my temple closing my eyes.

"Pearl! You okay?" I heard a kind voice ,hauling me back from the temporary dazed stupor I was undergoing.

I opened my eyes and looked at the source of the voice. My teacher looked at me with concern embellishing her features considerably.

When I regained my lost composure. I nodded weakly.

"I am okay ma'am" I replied while looking down.

"Keep calm, if you want anything ask me. Water or anything. I will see to that" she said looking into my eyes. Actually from her tone it was clear that she was pointing to somewhere else than just water arrangement.

"I am fine ma'am . Just going ape over the thought of exams and other stuff" I said emphasizing the last words with much assertion. She nodded but seemed like she took note of my trepidation and perturbed stance .

I got my question paper. I took a deep breath and kept my question paper on the table and began to pray for some time. Or kinda meditating. I slowly opened my eyes and began to read my questions.

A small smile adorned my lips. Most of the questions are anticipated once. Nothing like ambushing questions.

I unleashed whatever that is stored intact on my memory like a preserved jewel. Today is my subsidiary paper.

Music is my supplementary paper in plus two studies. As I am humanities student we had two options for subsidiary paper Music and Geography.

I chose Music over Geography. Music is my life and breath.

I am a student. From a very early stage of my life I have an inextricable bonding with music.

So to know more about such a subject means a great achievement for me. Even my parents never interfered in my study matters. Dad always allowed me to make my choice when it comes to my studies.

In his opinion studies are not a matter that should be coaxed or branded upon someone. He says that studies, talent and intelligence should come on its own like falls, means, if we are not pure and passionate about what we are up to it will divert away from us leaving us in eternal lurch. So as per his vision Whatever you select be hundred percent sincere in it and you will reach the place where you should belong in an amazing manner.

So he never coaxed me or Ben to do anything which we were not interested in. So I ended up taking humanities as my main.

Dad is not at all worried about his reputation or boasting about his kids glory like other parents. He says that It is your life and you are the architect of your destiny.. He just asked us to be hundred percent sincere in whatever we are up to. That will make us winners .

I let out a small sigh while writing.

After struggling a lot with my answers for approximately One and half hours I came to a halt with my writing spiel.

Phew ! That is over ! I wiped my forehead with my right hand. I was writing with my left hand.

I am a lefty . This is one trait which differentiates me from others. There are plenty of other things which make me a different girl.

I arranged my paper and went through my answers and inserted some tweaks and fluffs in necessary places with my left hand.

By the by at this moment I would like to turn my attention towards a fantastic habit of doing almost everything with my left hand including writing. I am a lefty and all the lovely credits go to my dad.

Even when the nuns forced me to write with my right hand my dad protested and insisted me to continue with this special trait in me. He considers this as a blessing and a special skill which can be acquired by only rarely talented and brilliant kids.

The nuns miserably yielded to my father's protest and my special trait.

My dad encouraged me to develop this special trait within me. I hold my sword in my left hand. And beat my opponent with acquired superfluous dexterity in ( swords training arena)

I am good at Martial arts. My dad is of opinion that girls should be capable of defending themselves in every circumstance than looking for a hand to help them out. So he gave me karatte and kalaripayatu training from a very tender age. And now I am good at defence and blowing the good life out of the one who dares to prod me mentally or morally.So all in all Dad is my hero , my mentor and Guru.

I saw students filing out of the class one by one not before patting my shoulder and giving a warm and friendly smile.

I am friendly to everyone. Only thing is I never deal with them close. Just a friendly smile and help and comfort if someone needs it.

There ends my importance in every ones life.

I tied my paper and once again went through my answers. I could hear girls squeaking and squealing with exultant voice. May be enjoying their freedom they acquired.

Well ,my paper checking is almost done. I glanced upwards ,my teacher is checking the stack of papers mounted and sprawled over the table with utmost care.

My eyes took the liberty to roam around my surroundings. Everyone left the place early!. I took a glimpse of the time and still fifteen precious minutes left.

I went through my paper once again taking my own sweet time. I

I heaved a sigh at my own thought and got up from my seat and slowly walked down the aisle towards my teacher.

The hall was shrouded with silence with the occasional resurfacing of other students exuberant voice from outside.

"Teacher, here my paper" I called out for my teacher standing in front of the table which is kept in front of the teacher.

She snapped up her head suddenly as if from some dream. She gazed at me for sometime through her specs. Realization slowly began to gleam in her eyes radiating towards her features and beamed as an exuberant smile.

"Pearl! My brilliant Nightingale!" My teacher exclaimed genuinely while taking my paper from my extended left hand.

She went through the paper for sometime and glanced towards me seriously. I fidgeted with my long two sided plait .

Our school discipline demands us to wear a knee length checked red skirt with the same red top inched inside the skirt. With the accesorization of polished black buckled shoes and two plait braid if the hair is long. Or two pig tails if the hair is short or shoulder length.

No one sided work in the hair job is allowed, a strict disciplined convent school.

I sighed bitterly. When I was about to go. I heard my teacher calling me.