The Mask

"Take off your mask," the discipline teacher warned.

She ignored it as always, and walked past the discipline teacher.

The discipline teacher could do nothing, there was no rule about wearing masks. And reporting a student for wearing a mask would be silly.

She eventually arrived at her class, and found a spot to sit, her usual seat. Front and near the left window.

Outside she could see, outside of the school, another world. In the class, it was the same as always.

"Take off your mask," one said.

"Yeah, take it off," another agreed.

"We'd like to see what's beneath it..."

Their "itchy" hands were approaching and she just swatted them away. Disgusting nasty flies they were.

Soon, the teacher entered the classroom.

"Good morning, students."

"Good morning, Mrs Robinson."

"Please sit down."

"Thank you, Mrs Robinson."

And so they sat.

"Open your textbooks to page 67, and read the text aloud."

And so they read.

"We skipped the light fandango, never reaching the end..." they read.

The teacher too noticed that Isabella's face was covered. However, she just ignored it. "Just another day, with Isabella wearing a mask," she thought.

As a matter of fact, she wouldn't be used to seeing Isabella without it.

It was just five years ago, Isabella entered the school, a normal student. However after all this time, things changed. People changed. She changed.

She, a talented student, faded away in colours, retreating to mediocrity. Sure, the teachers were still keeping a close eye on her, but it wasn't like it used to be.

She, an outgoing and active student, became antisocial and hid from others. No one could tell why or how, she became like that. Nobody had a single clue.

Her face, originally cheerful, bright, replaced with a dull, gloomy face. Sure, the teachers weren't pleased, but they couldn't cheer her up either.

Until one day, she started wearing a mask. No one knew what she felt, her emotions hidden under it. Her emotions now no one knew, she felt safe from judgement.

Her parents, called by the teachers, explained that it should be a phase, adolescence and all. So they let her be.

"Isabella, Isabella! Answer the question, won't you?" Mrs. Robinson called.

"Er er what?" she replied, "what just happened?" She awoke from her train of thought.

"Stop dreaming," her teacher warned furiously. "Were in the middle of class!"

"I'm sorry, teacher."

"Alright now students, continue on with page 68."

She had become hopeless and lost, like her life, like this story. She had become what she tried to destroy, sadness and depression.

Alas, her mask was too strong. Nobody could take her mask off, and so she wears it till this day. 

"Take it off."