Teenage Feelings

 Sundays were supposed to be a day of rest, but for Anim, they felt heavier than the weekdays. While her classmates eagerly anticipated a break, she dreaded the long study sessions her parents enforced. "You need to stay focused, Anim. Ninth grade is important. No distractions," her mother would remind her, handing over thick textbooks while her friends planned their outings. Anim nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. How could she explain that she needed more than just grades to feel whole? That she wanted to breathe, to laugh, to just be?

 Ayera could see it. The exhaustion behind Anim's eyes, the way she hesitated before answering simple questions. "You coming out today? Even just for a little while?" Ayera asked, her voice hopeful. Anim shook her head. "I can't. My parents want me to study." Ayera sighed, leaning against the wall. "You know, grades matter, but so do you, Anim." The words hung between them, unspoken emotions filling the silence. "Come with me, just for an hour. No one has to know. Just…breathe for once." And for the first time in a long time, Anim wanted to say yes.

 Sneaking out wasn't something Anim ever thought she'd do, but with Ayera by her side, it didn't feel wrong. They sat by the lake, the Sunday sun casting golden ripples over the water. "It's beautiful," Anim whispered. Ayera smiled. "And so are you, when you're not drowning in expectations." The words stung, but only because they were true. Anim let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "I wish I could stay like this forever." Ayera squeezed her hand. "Then promise me something. Don't forget this feeling. No matter what happens, don't let them take this part of you away."

 As Anim stepped back into her house, guilt weighed on her, but something else lingered too—freedom. She had only been gone an hour, but in that hour, she had felt more alive than she had in months. That night, as she sat at her desk, she picked up her pen and wrote for the first time in weeks. Not for school, not for grades, but for herself. A simple sentence at first: I deserve to be happy too. And as the ink dried, so did the fear in her heart. Maybe she couldn't change everything overnight, but she could start. And sometimes, that was enough.