The next few days flew by faster than Mihika had expected.

Her classroom had become her favorite place again.

Every period was filled with endless laughter, inside jokes, and playful teasing. Someone was always mimicking a teacher's voice, someone else was cracking ridiculous jokes, and the entire class struggled to hold back their laughter whenever a strict teacher turned toward the blackboard.

And somehow...

Mihika was always right in the middle of it.

The girl who was known as the class topper had started laughing more than studying. She spent lunch breaks gossiping with her friends, passing silly notes, and making memories she never wanted to forget.

Despite all the mischief, every teacher adored her. She was polite, respectful, and always ready to help her classmates. No one could believe that the same girl who laughed the loudest during lunch was also the one who usually topped every exam.

But slowly...

Something began to change.

The homework she once completed days in advance was now being finished at the last minute. She stopped revising every evening. The books that were once her closest companions remained untouched on her study table.

At first, she didn't notice the difference.

Then the class tests began.

Her Physics marks dropped.

Her Chemistry marks followed.

"It doesn't matter," she whispered to herself after every test. "I'll do better next time."

But "next time" never came.

Every exam seemed harder than the last, and every result left her with a few more red marks than before.

Still, the biggest shock was yet to come.

Biology.

Her favorite subject.

The one subject she had always loved with all her heart. She had never scored poorly in Biology before. It was the subject that made her feel confident, the one where she always expected full marks or close to them.

So when her Biology paper was placed on her desk, she smiled confidently.

The smile disappeared within seconds.

Her marks were... unbelievably low.

For a moment, she thought the teacher had made a mistake.

She checked the roll number once.

Twice.

Three times.

No.

It was her paper.

A lump formed in her throat as she stared at the red marks covering the page.

Physics had disappointed her.

Chemistry had worried her.

But Biology...

Biology broke her heart.

She forced herself to smile so no one would notice the tears threatening to escape.

"It's okay," she told herself quietly. "It's just one exam."

But deep inside...

She knew something was slipping away.

The girl who had once been the class topper was slowly losing herself.

A few days later, Result Day finally arrived.

"Mummy! Come fast!" Mihika shouted from the front door, adjusting her school bag. "Today is the result day, not tomorrow! The teachers must already be waiting."

"I'm coming, beta," her mother replied, picking up her purse. "Why are you so nervous?"

"N-nothing... I just don't want to be late," Mihika answered, forcing a smile.

Only she knew the truth.

She wasn't excited.

She was scared.

Scared that her mother would see her marks.

Scared that her teachers would ask what had happened to their brightest student.

Scared that everyone who once praised her would now look at her with disappointment.

Taking a deep breath, she held her mother's hand, and together they walked towards the school.

With every step closer to the school gate...

Her heartbeat grew louder.

Little did Mihika know...

________

IN SCHOOL

The school corridor buzzed with anxious parents and excited students. Some were laughing over good marks, while others stood silently, clutching their report cards.

Mihika tightened her grip on her mother's hand.

"Come on, beta," her mother smiled. "Why are you so quiet today?"

"I'm fine, Mummy."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes..."

Her mother looked at her suspiciously but didn't say anything.

As they entered the classroom, their class teacher, Mrs. Sharma, looked up from the desk and smiled warmly.

"Oh! Mihika... come in."

"Good morning, ma'am," Mihika greeted softly.

"Good morning, ma'am," her mother echoed.

Mrs. Sharma gestured towards the chairs.

"Please have a seat."

Mihika's heart pounded as she sat beside her mother.

Mrs. Sharma opened the report card and sighed.

"Mihika..."

"Yes, ma'am?"

"What happened?"

Mihika lowered her eyes.

"I... I don't know, ma'am."

"You don't know?" Mrs. Sharma asked gently. "This doesn't look like the Mihika I know."

Her mother frowned.

"What do you mean, ma'am?"

Mrs. Sharma turned the report card towards her.

"See these marks."

Her mother's smile slowly faded.

"Physics..."

She turned the page.

"Chemistry..."

Another page.

"And Biology?"

She looked at Mihika in disbelief.

"Mihika... Biology? You always scored above ninety-five in Biology."

"I know, Mummy..."

"What happened?"

"I... I don't know."

Mrs. Sharma folded her hands on the table.

"The problem isn't that her marks have fallen."

Both mother and daughter looked at her.

"The problem is that she has stopped being herself."

Mihika's eyes widened.

"She submits homework late now. Sometimes she forgets it completely."

Her mother looked at Mihika.

"You never told me that."

Mrs. Sharma continued,

"She gets distracted in class. Earlier, she used to answer every question before I even finished asking it."

Those words were enough.

Mihika's vision blurred.

Tears welled up in her eyes before she could stop them.

"I'm... I'm sorry..."

Without waiting for anyone to respond, she stood up abruptly, pushed the chair back, and ran out of the classroom.

"Mihika!" her mother called.

"Mihika, wait!" Mrs. Sharma shouted as she rose from her chair.

But Mihika didn't stop.

She rushed down the corridor, her tears falling one after another. The voices of students and parents faded into the background as she ran past classrooms, unable to bear the weight of everyone's expectations anymore.

She finally stopped near the end of the corridor, leaning against the cold wall.

Her hands trembled.

"Why...?" she whispered to herself between sobs. "Why can't I be the same anymore?"

She slid down the wall until she was sitting on the floor, hugging her knees tightly.

"I was supposed to be the topper..."

"I was supposed to make everyone proud..."

"So why am I ruining everything?"

Footsteps echoed through the silent corridor.

"Mihika..."

It was her mother.

She slowly knelt beside her daughter but didn't say anything.

A few moments later, Mrs. Sharma joined them.

Neither of them spoke.

They simply sat beside her, letting her cry.

After a long silence, Mrs. Sharma finally broke it.

"Crying doesn't make you weak, Mihika."

Mihika wiped her eyes. Mrs. Sharma hugged her for comforting her.

"It feels like I've disappointed everyone."

Mrs. Sharma gently shook her head.

"No."

"You've not disappointed anyone Mihika."

Mihika looked at her in surprise.

"You think your worth is decided by your marks," Mrs. Sharma continued softly. "But tell me... if one of your friends scored less, would you stop caring about them?"

"No..."

"Then why are you doing that to yourself?"

Mihika couldn't answer.

Her mother gently held her hand.

"Beta..."

"I don't want a perfect marks."

"I just want my old daughter who is perfect at everything. Marks doesn't matter. "

Those words shattered the wall Mihika had built around herself.

"I really am..."

"I just don't know how to become the old Mihika again."

Her mother kissed her forehead.

"Then we won't look for the old Mihika."

Mrs. Sharma smiled warmly.

"We'll help you become an even stronger one."

Mrs. Sharma said.

"We are always here to guide you, to explain your mistakes, and to help you improve."

Her mother smiled and squeezed her hand.

"Beta, If you fall today, we'll help you stand tomorrow."

Mrs. Sharma smiled.

"And remember, every topper has a chapter where they struggle. This is simply yours."

Mihika let out a shaky laugh through her tears.

For the first time in weeks, the burden on her heart felt a little lighter.

As she walked out of the classroom beside her mother, she looked back once.

Mrs. Sharma smiled proudly and said,

"Next time, don't come to school carrying fear."

"Come carrying confidence."

Mihika nodded.

"I will, ma'am."

And with that promise...

A new chapter of her life quietly began.

__________

Thanks you 💋

Okay an Important Announcement the chapter of Kismat se destiny tak are going to update tomorrow so stay tuned it's bomb 💣 💣

Yours Author 😘

Aaru😚🥺