[Ayani's pov]

I'm 11 now, I lost my mom when I was just 3 and  don't remember much about her. But I wish I did. I wish I could remember her smile, her laugh, her voice.I wish she was here to see me grow up.
Then, when I was 8, I lost my best friend Sana. We were inseparable... But destiny seperated us.

I know Dad is trying his best to be both parents to me,but it's hard to adjust to a new life without the people I love. I just wish I could turn back time, wish I could've said goodbye to Mom and Sana properly.

But life doesn't work that way, does it? All I can do is move forward, try to make new memories, and hold on to the old ones.

Now, I've moved to a new city with my dad, leaving behind my family, my aunts, uncles, and grandma. I miss them so much, especially my grandma's cooking and my uncle's silly jokes.

"Hey, do you want to look at some old photos of Mom?" Dad asked, trying to distract me from my sadness.

I nodded, and we spent the rest of the evening looking at old albums and remembering happy times with Mom.

Fitting in at a new school, making friends, and adjusting to a new home is like trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces.
Everything feels foreign, and I'm struggling to find my place. Dad tries to be strong for me, but I see the same sadness in his eyes that I feel. He misses Mom and Sana just as much as I do.

Every day after school, he asks me how my day was, and I try to sound brave, saying "it's okay, I guess." But the truth is, it's not okay. I feel lost and alone, . I yearn for someone to talk to, someone who understands me. Maybe someday, I'll find that person.

It's my 7th day of school, and I'm still alone. No friends, no one to sit with at lunch, no one to partner with for projects. I feel like an outsider, invisible to everyone around me.

But then, something happened. I was sitting in class, struggling to understand the math lesson, when I accidentally knocked over my pencil case. Pens and pencils went rolling all over the floor.

I felt my face heat up with embarrassment as I bent down to pick them up. But before I could even gather them all, a hand reached out and helped me.

"Hey, do you need some help?" a soft voice asked.

I looked up to see a girl with a kind smile, sparkling brown eyes, and beautiful curly brown hair that bounced as she moved. Her name tag read "Priyami" - so similar to mine, Ayani.

"Thanks," I muttered, feeling a little shy.

Priyami smiled and handed me a pen that had rolled under the desk. "I'm Priyami," she said, her voice gentle.

"I'm Ayani," I replied, taking the pen from her.

We both stood up, and Priyami looked at me with concern. "Are you okay? You looked really embarrassed when you dropped your pencils."

I nodded, feeling a little better. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little clumsy, I guess."

Priyami laughed. "Don't worry, it happens to the best of us!"

We stood there for a moment, looking at each other. Then, the bell rang, signaling the end of class.

As we walked out of class together, I couldn't help but notice the curious glances from our classmates. Priyami seemed to be a popular girl in school, surrounded by admirers and acquaintances. But despite her popularity, I sensed a hint of loneliness in her eyes.

"I'm so glad I met you, Ayani," Priyami said, her voice sincere. "I have to admit, I don't really have any close friends here."

I nodded, feeling a connection to her. "Yeah, I know how that feels."

Priyami looked at me with interest. "Really? You feel like an outsider too?"

"Yeah, I do. It's hard to find people who truly understand me."

Priyami nodded thoughtfully. "I know exactly what you mean."

We walked in silence for a moment, enjoying the warm sun on our faces. Then Priyami spoke up again.

"Hey, Ayani? Want to sit together at lunch tomorrow?"

I smiled, "Yeah, that would be great."

And with that, our friendship began. Slowly, but surely.
[End of Ayani's Pov]