Right Side Up Left Side Down

There was a gloomy silhouette who wandered through the school corridors. No one knew his name or where he came from, he was mysterious, quiet and antisocial. He had dark hair, sombre clothing and a gloomy expression as if he was a black hole. My friends always joked that he didn’t have a life and that he was lifeless like a skeleton. He was known as the “lonely nerd”  and “ghost of the corridors".

Sometimes he was taunting. Staring soullessly under the thick shadow of his hoodie, the boy had seemed emotionless, mostly like a dark figure lurking amongst everybody. He was also disliked heavily by everybody. It was at this time I mustered the courage and greeted him. He said hello back. A deep shock sliced through me. It felt sharper than any knife. I came back to reality and talked to him.

He sparked my interest. Like a light bulb above my head lighting up. I talked with him and he explained his story. His real life is completely hidden to the outside world like something was under that hoodie. A whole other universe for him. Yet it isn’t a gleeful place. He was abused and ridden to communicate with the outside world. 

I convinced him to tell his story to the school counsellor. He was reluctant and timid at first. One day, he emerged from his undercover life and decided to seek guidance from the school teachers. A few weeks after that, instead of dragging his feet across the corridors, he turned around to my friends with a wide smile from ear to ear. 

‘Hi’, he greeted us warmly. He updated us that with the help of social workers and the school, he was able to find a family who he really cherished. Soon enough, the mysterious lonewolf transformed into our motivating sports captain Andrew. Andrew reclaimed his authentic and hilarious personality which had been buried by the adversity. We all learnt to never judge a book by its cover.