Something happened. My life changed. I found someone, someone who had always been there for me, without my ever realising it. He used to follow me everywhere. Wherever I went, he would follow me; at home, at college and everywhere. The best part was no one noticed him. Maybe he was not as important to others as he was to me.

I would ignore him but the stupid guy never gave up. He wouldn’t even get irritated. Over time we became best friends. I started getting used to and appreciating the fact that he kept me company wherever I went. He became a part of me; without him I felt incomplete. We never talked but sometimes, in the dark, we would play hide-and-seek and I could never find him. Wonder where he would disappear?

He made me feel special. He made me feel important. More importantly, these things made me feel beautiful. Whenever I looked back, I would see him looking at me and silently shouting, “You are beautiful.” He still follows me around; he’s still my best friend and I thank him for making me feel so special.

He is my shadow, always with me. He made me feel special, and he will, always. So please look behind you; you will always find someone who will silently tell you, “You are beautiful!”

This is for all those girls out there, who do not always feel beautiful.

Jha is an 11th grader at St Mary’s College