"You are such a bright student then why are your grades going down Roséanne. You used to score so good in all subjects and now what's this?" Mr. Shaw, Rose's chemistry teacher said showing her the marks she got in a recent chemistry test.

Rose looked at the test paper and then down at her shoes avoiding to look at the teacher.

"Is there any problem Rose dear? Your performance is really not that satisfying these days. You're going to graduate your high school soon, you can't be like this." Her biology teacher, Mrs. Baron said looking concerned.

"I'm sorry teacher. I'll do better next time", Rose said while looking at the table still avoiding to look at any of the teachers.

"Don't be sorry to us Rose. You should be sorry for yourself. You know all, how your parents are working hard to pay your academic fees and make you study here. You better not bring disappointment to them nor to us." Mrs. Marston, her physics teacher kind of scolded her.

Rose just nodded and got out of the teachers' room. Stella was waiting outside for Rose and she immediately rushed beside Rose after seeing her face down.

"What happened? Why do you look all down down?" Stella asked clinging on Rose's arm.

Rose smiled and said, "Nothing. I got less marks in the recent chemistry test and teachers were a bit upset with my result. That's it."

"Oh okay. You don't seem to like your marks either right?" Stella said as they were walking towards their next class.

"It's okay. It isn't the last and it was just a test for practice. We'll learn from the mistakes in these tests and give our best in the final semester", Rose smiled at Stella.

"Woah- I really wish I could think like you. Hah! Optimistic all the time. I don't know how you're always cheerful and jolly and I seriously want to know how. You know I always think that you're faking yourself and wearing a mask so that people around will like you. Seems like the way you show yourself to us isn't the case, it isn't the real you. And also, you never disagree with anyone, never fight or argue. You're extroverted and so charming. I really think that you're just- literally just faking all this?" Stella said without giving a second thought to what she's saying.

"I'm not an extrovert Stella. I'm an ambivert and no, I'm not at all faking all this. It's how I am and how I think", Rose said.

"Ah- okay", Stella said meekly and they entered the classroom.

It was maths class and everyone was listening to the teacher attentively. Rose was sitting in the first row and on the very first seat of the first bench with one of her friends.

"Everyone, do you know who's the simplest and the most silent student of our this class? Any guesses?" Mr. Clifton suddenly asked in between the ongoing class.

Everyone looked at each other and across the whole class while Rose was just looking at the teacher all confused.

She was thinking, "Is there even any student who's like that?!"

Everyone was pointing towards themselves or their friends. Mr. Clifton just shaked his head and smiled.

"Everyone silence please. Let me tell who is that student. It's none other than this girl sitting here", Mr. Clifton gestured towards Rose.

Rose just blinked and looked at the teacher blankly while everyone was looking at Rose and some girls even opposed that Roséanne isn't an innocent girl.

(Your Author's reaction in real life.)

"Teacher she looks like that, innocent and all but we know how she's from inside. She's a total opposite of how she looks", her friends said in a humoristic way.

Rose just looked down getting red like a tomato. Her ears were burning from embarrassment and shyness. Mr. Clifton kept on praising her and saying that she never does this and that and how she behaves and all.

Everyone's gaze was on her which was making her uncomfortable. To her comfort, after a few minutes, the class got over and the teacher left.

Just after the teacher left, her classmates started teasing her,

"Mr. Clifton's favourite student huh?"

"She's so innocent and simple *scoffs*. Only we know how devil minded you are Rosie baby."

"So you finally got the attention of Mr. Clifton, Miss attention seeker, Roséanne Simpson?!"

"You must be the first one in our batch who ever got praises from that oldie Mr. Clifton."

"Omg! You're so lucky!"

Rose just smiled at them and said, "Even I don't believe this happened."

She then just packed her bag and got out of there. She was wondering as in how Mr. Clifton even praised her cause that teacher never praises anyone.

(Your Author's maths teacher was really of another kind. He never knew any of his student's name nor he praised anyone. His teaching was on another level. It was so damn easy when he taught the formulae, the derivations, the concepts and the theorems. Your Author scored so damn good grades in maths cause of him.)

"He seriously praised me mom! I was truly in utter shock", Rose told every little thing to her mom.

"Is your teacher out of his mind today? How can you be innocent?" Mrs. Simpson frowned and looked at her daughter.

"Mom~!!" Rose whined indicating not to tease her as she exactly knew that Mrs. Simpson was teasing her.

Mrs. Simpson chuckled and went out to water the plants in the garden of their house.

Rose thought, "Hmm.. Stella was right though. I do have a mask on my face which never comes off even infront of my family well except my mom.. umm sometimes I guess. Most of the time, I let it down just when I'm alone *sighs and smiles*. I can't let off my real face to this world, what if they hurt me? What if they think I'm too weak? I do become vulnerable sometimes but it's a rare thing to see."

( Thank you for reading this chapter my lovelies. Do remember that always masking up your feelings and emotions may deteriorate your health and affect you both mentally and physically so please don't be like Rose always. It's okay to be vulnerable sometimes and let your emotions out, it relieves you and makes you feel better you know. Anyways, your Author aka Rose loves you~)