Her best friend.

Tessa had always preferred playing alone, since she was young. This kind of attitude she displayed sometimes made her parents worry whether she would be able to make good friends as she grows. When a parent tells her to be open to make new friends and give people a chance, she would always give them a cold reply.
“I don’t need friends. They cause scandals.”
Why don’t they just understand? She thought. For one thing, she is more matured than her age. So those of her age group seem to act childishly to her. They had dolls and love color pink. Really?

Besides, she is never alone. She has her best friend. Her Diary. Her diary fills in the spot, so she needs no unnecessary friendships. One might think it will get better as she grows older. No, it got rather worse. She maintained the same kind of attitude even till high school.

She is a smart kid though. So naturally everyone would want to move closer to her so as to benefit academically. But she would not have any of it. She always made it clear that she needs no friends of any sort, so her classmates left her be. When there is no class activity, she always scribbles out on her diary.
Talking about her diary, she would often say: “She listens to me and understands me. She does not snitch on me. When I am done ranting to it, I feel refreshed. Why trade such gem for mortal relationships?”

However, Although she seems to be the odd one out, she has her own fantasies as well. Which pretty much explains why she’s always writing in her diary. She always acts so cold, but it might surprise you that she has a crush in her class. She has a favorite teacher, even though she never shows it. Somethings make her laugh even though it is such a rare sight. She has her own career and dreams just like every other person.

But nobody else knows this, just her and her diary. She’s never without it, at school, in the house and even when she goes for a run… it is always in her little bag. It eventually got to a time when she had to be locking the diary in a school locker. The teasing from her mates was too much. Well it’s not their fault, they have not the slightest idea.

She’s not concerned though. Her diary is enough to be her best friend. On a particular day, she dropped her stuff in her locker as usual and went to class. That day was an amazing day. She got to work on a project with her crush.

“Tessa we have to meet outside school today to finish up the tasks. I hope that is fine by you?” Asked Steve.
“Of course. Why would you think it’s not fine?” She answered.
“Well you know, you don’t interact with anyone. You don’t even have friends.”
“I don’t need friends. I’m just fine by myself.” She countered.
“That’s not true, we all need friends.” Says Steve.

Tessa shrugged it off. They plan meet at a garden in the evening. It was the first time she would be alone with Steve, and it made her blush.
After school activities that day she went back to her locker to pack her stuff. But she could not believe her eyes.
Her diary was missing!

She searched frantically and making a mess of her locker space.

“No. No! It can’t be!”
At this point she did not even know she was shouting. A lot is at stake. That diary must not fall in the wrong hands, or in any hands at all! Sweating profusely she ran to her class. Everyone had left. She search each of the tables, nope. No traces of her diary.

Why would anyone want to torture her this way? What has she done to deserve this! She thought about the idea of anyone reading the contents of her diary.

“Noooooo!”
Her journey back home is the unpleasant one she has had in years. She nearly even missed her bus stop. There were secrets in the diary, ones that cannot be leaked. Is it about her ridiculous fantasies? Or how she has a crush for 4 years and did nothing about it? Is it what she thinks of the school principal? Or that her favorite she can only pray that whoever has it does not publish these secrets.

“Good afternoon Mum”. She managed to greet her mother before storming to her room. She leaned on her door for an hour. At this point, the best decision to make is to just run away.

Exhausted, she fell face down on her bed. Wait, she felt something. She rolled over and… there it was. Her diary! She never took it to school. A deep wave of relief hit her. It was as if she had not been breathing, she felt so happy and hugged her diary tightly.

“I knew it, you won’t disappoint me.” She whispered, to the non existing ears of her dearest friend.
She takes another deep breath of relief. Well now she can look forward to the evening with Steve. Perhaps she can up her game and use the opportunity to get to know him better. Maybe that will no longer be a secret to guard so heavily.

Now that she thinks about it, she’s putting a lot of load on her little diary.
“I’m sorry bestie”. She apologizes while clutching it tightly to her chest.
“I will give you one less thing to keep a secret.”

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