Emily D’Souza I first noticed Mira on a Monday the way you notice something you’ve lost and then convince yourself it had been there all along. She was at the far end of the corridor, standing in a square of sunlight from the skylight, hair catching dust motes. I was fifteen, new to St. Augustine’s, and learning to walk like I’d always belonged. Mostly, it meant walking fast and looking at blue pinboards, not people’s faces. It was assembly day. The principal preached punctuality, the choir missed a high note, and the sports captain reminded everyone to return cricket balls.…
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Lia Kapoor Part 1: The DM That Wasn’t Me The first thing I see when I wake up is my own face telling me not to ignore her. I say “her” because the mirror version of me on my lockscreen feels like a different person: last night’s eyeliner smudged, hair in a tragic bun, caption under my last selfie begging for the sun to rise late. The notification is from Insta. I swipe. My DMs have a new message from… me. My verified-not-verified, 1,247-followers, curated-just-enough-to-look-natural account. The blue circle next to my own name glows like an eye. I open…