The first rays of sunlight slip through the curtains of Miaro's bedroom, gently caressing her sleeping face. She awakens slowly, without the usual brutality of an alarm. For once, it's neither anxiety nor boredom that draws her from bed, but a soft warmth, like a delicate shiver nestled in the pit of her stomach.
She stretches languidly, like a princess from a forgotten tale. A smile blooms on her lips, almost involuntary. Her body, usually rigid with obligations, dances this morning like a discreet conductor, orchestrating the light, the silky sheets, the amber fragrance lingering in the air, and the echoes of yesterday's memories.
The mirror no longer reflects the hollow image she once avoided. Today, she looks at herself. And she finds herself… beautiful.
She descends the staircase slowly, gracefully, her schoolbag slung over her shoulder. Another smaller bag dangles from her arm. Her mother looks up, surprised.
—"You're… carrying two bags today?" she asks, intrigued.
Miaro doesn't answer. She simply smiles, a strange light shimmering in her eyes. She approaches, plants a kiss on her mother's cheek, and murmurs,
—"Have a good day, Mom…" before leaving the house.
Her mother stands frozen for a moment, her hand raised as if to hold her back—or perhaps to bless her. She smiles too. But deep in her heart, a silent question takes root: What's making her so happy all of a sudden?
Seated in the back of the black SUV, Miaro gazes out the window with newfound intensity. Every morning, she passes through the streets of the capital without seeing them, her heart elsewhere, her eyes vacant. But today… today, everything is different.
In Amparibe, she recognizes the alleyways where she walked with Haintso. In Mahamasina, she recalls the laughter shared under the streetlights. In Anosy, she can still trace their shadows along the path. Every corner, every stone, every ray of sunlight feels imbued with meaning.
The shop windows of big brands, once mundane, now gleam like jewels. The Barea Stadium stands tall, monumental. Even the statue of the Anjely Fotsy, the "White Angel" at the center of the roundabout, seems to smile as she passes.
She watches the passersby, the vendors, the hurried mothers, the children clinging to buses… And for once, she doesn't envy them. She understands them. She sees them. She loves them, perhaps. Because she is alive.
And then there's her reflection in the window. That girl, with her sparkling eyes and the slight smirk on her lips, isn't quite the same Miaro anymore.
She bursts into a small, almost childish laugh.
—"Miss, everything alright?" the driver asks, a bit startled.
—"(Her eyes still fixed on the window) It's a beautiful day, isn't it?"
—"Indeed, it's a beautiful day."
Upon arriving at school, Haintso is already waiting by the main gate. At first, she's thrilled to see him, but as she draws closer, she notices something off. His pensive expression resurfaces. His eyes carry a heavy weight. The dark circles beneath them clearly betray a lack of sleep this time—perhaps something more. She knows nothing, but she approaches.
—"Hey!"
—"Oh, hi, Miaro. Could I get my clothes back?" he asks, still smiling, but his eyes cannot lie.
—"Of course… You know I can help if you're going through something."
At her response, Haintso realizes he must look wretched. And so, he falls back on his old tricks of manipulation.
—"You're saying that because of the lack of sleep written all over my face, aren't you?" he asks with a broad smile, hiding his gaze as he slips on his school uniform.
—"Yes, and I find it pretty worrying."
—"How do you expect me to sleep peacefully after everything that happened yesterday?" he says, looking into Miaro's eyes with a charming smile.
And Miaro is convinced of his sincerity. She responds with a shy smile, retreating softly.
—"See you at break, okay?"
—"Okay," Haintso replies with a smile.
But once Miaro is far enough away, he sighs. And then, he too enters the school grounds, sadly.
Dear reader friends, there are fascinating things in our world. And I adore the beauty of our species' mental faculties. Those with high emotional intelligence are often impulsive. Those with high intellectual intelligence move through life quietly, out of sight. Truly good people have every reason to commit atrocities, yet they hold the world's madness at bay with their smiles and resilience. Lovers of truth are often the greatest liars. They lie profusely to make that truth triumph. Some people truly sacrifice everything for those they love.
And I am utterly fascinated by how Haintso uses truth to manipulate Miaro. He deceives her, yes, but above all, he wants to shield her happiness from the terrifying reality of his own. He refuses to let even a whisper of her pure thoughts brush against the harsh facade of his world.
So, during class, Haintso spends his time sleeping. Not only is he recharging his physical energy but also his mental strength. He looks at his old, worn schoolbag, now remarkably clean. Inside, his tattered clothes are neatly arranged, probably ironed too. He tries to piece together the scene:
Miaro must have washed these clothes, likely with a washing machine. Still, I wonder how she dried them overnight. She probably ironed them this morning. I can just picture her smiling as she took care of these old rags. She must have felt pity seeing them, but she didn't replace them because she knows I'm too proud to accept that. So, she carefully packed them back into the bag. But she's probably already planning to suggest buying me new clothes. She just doesn't know how to bring it up without bruising my ego.
Ha…
This girl carries the weight of others in her mind far too much. She overthinks. Ha…
And here I am, anticipating her thoughts like some old fanorona enthusiast. I need to buy new clothes before she does something humiliating for me. I'm already ashamed enough of myself as it is.
I don't want to talk, discuss, or even look at anyone. I just want to disappear from the face of the earth.
He buries his face in his arms.
During break, Haintso doesn't stay in the classroom. His resentment leads him somewhere far, to the science seniors' area. He thinks he'll find peace, that no one will recognize him here, but unfortunately, Rija spots him.
Rija has just been discussing strategies in the classroom with the captain of the school's official basketball team when, to his surprise, he sees his rival sitting by the old artificial fountain. He approaches immediately.
—"Hey! Hi, man. It's Haintso, right? Miaro's boyfriend."
Haintso takes a moment to register. But Rija continues.
—"I still can't believe she chose you over all the hot guys in this school."
Haintso says nothing. He just looks at him, then smiles. Finally, he walks away, saying,
—"Sorry, man, but break's almost over."
—"And it's almost over for you too, isn't it? Otherwise, what are you doing here alone?" Rija says, amused.
But Haintso doesn't listen. He just leaves.
The captain approaches Rija and, referring to what he just shouted, asks, —"Yo, man, what's got you so pissed at that clown? He's just a nobody. You're better than picking on insects like that."
—"He's the boyfriend of Miaro I told you about."
—"What? … You mean that ordinary? Damn, what does she see in him?"
—"The craziest part is that this guy barely exists in this school. I told my guys to rough him up a bit to see what he's made of, but they can barely track him down or get any info on him. We only just found out his classroom. My crew's already on it… and yet here he is."
—"Wow, he's like a damn ninja. Don't worry, bro, I'm on it too. I'm suddenly curious about what's going on in his head."
Rija just responds with a Machiavellian grin.
After the break, Miaro is sad she didn't get to see Haintso. It's hard for her now that her thoughts are entirely consumed by him. Tsiaro, noticing her, teases her. Oh yes, now she's sitting on the same bench.
—"So, you can just vanish with your boyfriend when you're the top student? So far, the teachers don't even care enough to ask you for a hall pass. They just look at you, and that's it."
Miaro smiles shyly. She replies,
—"The funniest thing is that I did remember a hall pass in class this morning."
Tsiaro starts giggling softly so no one overhears.
—"Hey! Be careful."
—"You've got to tell me how it was, that incredible moment that made you forget your studies."
Miaro sighs. She looks up at the school ceiling, smiling. She says,
—"This day will remain the happiest day of my life."
—"Wow…"
But the teacher, overhearing their whispers, calls them out:
—"Ladies, Miaro, Tsiaro. Being the top students doesn't give you the right to disrupt my class."
—"Of course, ma'am. Sorry, ma'am," they say, trying to stifle their laughter.
At lunchtime, the girls chat. Tsiaro starts the conversation.
—"Hey, Kanto! Did you know Miaro and Haintso were kissing in the rain yesterday when they skipped the afternoon?"
—"Really?" Kanto asks, less enthusiastic than her smile suggests.
—"That doesn't seem to thrill you much. Are you jealous of their relationship or something?"
—"What, jealous? Of who? Haintso?"
Miaro twists the knife.
—"Yeah, I've noticed you don't treat him like an idiot anymore lately."
—"No… no, no, it's just to keep the team's morale up."
The girls burst into laughter watching her flail in denial, her face red with both anger and embarrassment.
—"Still, I find it weird that the news doesn't excite you more," Tsiaro adds.
—"It's just… if it's that great, then why does Haintso still look so gloomy in class?"
—"He does?" Miaro asks.
—"No, I didn't mean to worry you, Miaro. In class, Haintso only has two moods: either he's buried in his notebooks or his head's completely elsewhere."
—"Wow! For someone who hates Haintso, you sure seem to know him well," Tsiaro teases again.
—"You, shut up! Don't you see Miaro's worried?"
—"It's fine. Boys just aren't as charming as us, anyway," Miaro says, but her eyes betray how shaken she is.
Indeed, when all is said and done, they had agreed to meet during the break, but he wasn't there. She keeps wondering where he eats lunch since Ampefiloha Ambodirano is quite far from school. She doesn't even know where he lives, actually. In fact, she still knows nothing about him.
And then comes the evening. As she leaves school, Haintso isn't waiting for her at the main gate. Instead, it's her driver waiting in the parking lot. She heads home in a completely different mood than the one she had that morning. Sadness. Confusion. They haven't made much progress; they've only shared a few fleeting touches.
She clutches her left arm, closing her eyes, hoping this is a pinch that will wake her, that those caresses weren't real. But those caresses were real. That kiss was real. That embrace was real. That look was real. That smile was real…
Their love was real, and it would remain so.
So why? She breaks down into quiet tears in the car, hiding her face with her right hand, desperately hoping the driver doesn't notice. But of course, he does. He just says nothing. He's a professional.