Aru Shah one shots/ short stories!

Nobody Gets Me

Hey! So this is based on the song Nobody Gets Me by SZA (thanks to Fish_Ofishial123 for the song idea!) I also somehow wrote this all in 1 day! Hope you like it!

Kara sat on the swing near her house. She went there almost once every week, it was so peaceful and away from the world. She had put the swing up with her step mom when she was little, but her mom had long since forgotten it. So, the swing set was Kara's secret place. The secret place that she stored all her secrets, including the photograph in her jacket. After double-checking no one would see her, she pulled out the picture, her thumb tenderly smoothing it out.

‘Fore the memories get to kicking in
It's too late I don't wanna lose

It was a photo of her and a group of people she had never seen before. There was a short girl with a round face and glasses putting a bandage around the wrist of another. The other girl was about twice the height of the first one, with her highlighted hair pulled back into a ponytail, and was using her other arm to flip pancakes. Meanwhile, on the other side of the photo a really cute boy was close to the camera, arm reaching out as if holding it. Instead of smiling at the camera, he looked as if he was trying to stop himself from laughing. He was facing a girl who was running right through the middle of the picture, a long braid flung over her shoulder. She was holding what looked like a bag of gemstones and was being chased by a boy in a pink bomber jacket who had what looked like scales on the side of his face. It was weird enough that she had the picture at all.

It was weirder still that she was in it.

Right next to the girl with the braid, Kara was doubling over with laughter. They looked like sisters, almost.

It was like Kara had a whole separate life which she had forgotten. If only she could have the memories back, if only for a second.

Something had happened. Kara knew it. But what? And why had she lost all recollection of it?

What's left of you
How am I supposed to tell you

She seemed so close to these people, yet she couldn't even remember their names. All she had left of them was a photograph and a rush of feelings she couldn't understand. If she saw them in the street, would even recognise them? Would they recognise her? Or would it remain forever a mystery, left as a forgotten photograph in a coat pocket?

And let's say she did happen to recognise the girl with a braid or the boy with scales on his face. What would she say? “Yo guys, I think I know you because I have a picture of you. I have no memory of the picture, obviously, or even who you are, but hi!” Chances are she’d blurt a random etymology, or quote Emily Dickinson.

And she'd only get in the way probably. Start a whole thing, that would mess up what they already have. Kara would never want to screw up their lives: she’d always tried to help others, not herself.

I don't wanna see you with anyone but me
Nobody gets me like you

Kara wondered if they were all separated as well, or if she was the only one to have her memories taken. She felt a pang of jealousy at the thought as she looked down again. They were all so happy… chances are they were still this happy and together now. Happier, probably, with Kara gone.

She slumped back. Did she do something? Is that why she wasn't with them anymore? Kara couldn't have done something that bad, she was a good kid. She always did extra chores, volunteered at the soup kitchen, did extra work on homework. Anything to make others happy. Anything to be helpful. Surely, she couldn't have ruined things that much.

And despite the fact that she couldn't remember them, she still felt connected to them in a way. Almost as if they could understand her in a way none of the rest of the world could. It was stupid, and she knew it, but it was like they understood her. Like they got her.

How am I supposed to let you go
Only like myself when I'm with you

Kara pulled the photo into her chest, almost as if she was hoping it could embrace her back. If only she could know what had happened, maybe then she could be at peace. But all she had was a confusing photo and the angling feeling she'd lost a bit of who she was.

And the worst part was she could never fit in where she was. As much as her step parents loved her, that didn't stop her from being called names at school, or being whispered about in the hallways. Noone liked her, and she was beginning to not like herself either. Maybe being around these people would change that.

Nobody gets me you do

It didn't make any sense at all. Why would she be in a photo and not remember it? Part of her wasn't even sure it was real. Maybe it was a blip, or some sort of prank. But if it wasn't…

Kara had lost a part of her history.

A part of herself.

Nobody gets me you do

But if it was real… Maybe there were people out there who understood. Who didn't quite fit in, but were loved all the same. Maybe there were people out there who could understand her, like nobody else did.

Nobody gets me you do

How was it? Hope you have a good week, and happy Easter if you celebrate!

- Bea