Rainbow International School looked smaller than she remembered.
The once giant corridors now seemed cozy. The staircase where she used to storm off in anger? Still there—still squeaky.
"Welcome back, Ms. Dhiman!" the principal said excitedly. "The kids are buzzing with excitement. You're a hero to them!"
Vashti laughed. "They wouldn't say that if they knew what I was like in sixth grade."
Moments later, she stood onstage in the school auditorium, facing rows of eager young faces. Behind her flashed a slideshow:
VASHTI DHIMAN – From Detention Queen to F1 Star.
She shook her head, chuckling into the mic. "So, um… I wasn't exactly the sweet, quiet student here. In fact, they used to call me Hitler."
The kids gasped. One bold boy raised his hand.
"Really?"
"Oh, absolutely. I had the temper of a volcano and the mouth of a warrior. I fought teachers, classmates—even my own dreams sometimes."
The audience giggled.
"But there was one thing I never gave up on—racing. And one person I never stopped loving."
There was a pause. The room went still.
"I chased a boy through school, through life. He ignored me, avoided me, ghosted me. And still… I never gave up."
Whispers ran through the crowd. A few teachers exchanged surprised glances.
"Now he's a neurosurgeon," she said with a soft smile, "and my biggest cheerleader."
From the back of the hall, Shabd leaned against the wall, arms folded, smiling.
Vashti pointed toward him. "That's him. Shabd Heer. The boy who got me into trouble just by existing."
The crowd burst into laughter.
After the event, students rushed for autographs and selfies. One girl whispered, "You're so brave. I'm loud too, but everyone says I'm too much."
Vashti knelt beside her. "Being too much just means the world can't keep up. One day, they'll call you a legend."
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