LOVING ACP SIR - PART 2

Author's POV

Flashback

Fourteen-year-old Thulir stood before the mirror, clad in her jersey and shorts. Her fingers gripped the fabric of her shirt at the back as she stared at her flat stomach and her not-yet-fully-developed chest. A wave of disappointment washed over her as she let go of the shirt and sighed deeply.

Her mind wandered back to the offhand comment made by one of her teammates during practice-it had struck a nerve, stirring insecurities she hadn't known existed. After practice, the girls' volleyball team gathered by the side of the court, watching the boys' team in action. Conversations swirled around her-some of her teammates were critiquing the boys' gameplay, while others giggled over their favorite players. But Thulir remained detached from their chatter. Her thoughts lingered on the mistakes she had made during the match, analyzing where she went wrong. With the inter-zonal matches approaching, she was determined to sharpen her skills and prove herself as a capable captain. She knew that being chosen for the role wasn't merely a result of her family owning the school. It was a position she deserved, and she was ready to put in the hard work to prove it.

As she sat lost in thought, she overheard one of her teammates casually joke, "Come on, which boy would even look at Thulir? They're scared of her. She always acts like a boy-look, she even has a boy-cut hairstyle. No boy would find her attractive, so she won't have to deal with the teasing we face." Though the comment was made in jest, and Thulir even chuckled along with the group, the words clung to her. Being a teenager, it wasn't hard for such remarks to unsettle her.

Until then, she had never cared about attracting the attention of boys, but that comment triggered a shift in her perspective. Slowly, she began noticing the dynamics around her and realized there was truth in those words. The lingering doubt about being undesirable crept into her mind, sowing seeds of insecurity. For the first time, Thulir found herself scrutinizing her own body-the same body she had always loved and paid little attention to until now-with a sense of disappointment she couldn't shake.

She shook her head in disappointment. That's when she felt it-the unsettling sensation of being watched. Not wanting to make it obvious that she had noticed, she casually glanced around as though searching for something. Then, her eyes caught a glimpse of sharp, intent eyes staring at her through the narrow gap in the balcony doors. Startled, she quickly looked away. Her heartbeat quickened, fear creeping into her chest.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she walked towards the balcony door and pushed it open. But there was nothing. The space was empty. Confusion clouded her mind-was she hallucinating? No, she was certain she had seen those piercing eyes. Still unsettled, she heard her mother calling her to come down for dinner. She reluctantly descended the stairs, her thoughts tangled in the strange encounter.

At the dining table, she found Agathiyan and Aadhavan sitting there, still in their school uniforms. It seemed they had just arrived to drop off Thuyavan, who had stayed late at school. The six-year-old often lingered to watch the boys' games, eager to learn hockey from Agathiyan, the team captain. True to his promise, Agathiyan was nurturing Thuyavan's enthusiasm for the sport, letting him observe games and even play with the hockey stick during cool-downs, despite it being taller than him. Aadhavan, a member of the volleyball team, also stayed late during tournament season. The brothers often had their lunch at the Uyir residence, as they were practically family.

Thalir, Thulir's sister, would also remain at school to cheer her siblings on. However, she usually returned home earlier with Thulir. Already tired, Thalir was fast asleep upstairs, leaving Thulir to join her father at the dinner table. She served herself and began eating.