---
AIM — Chapter 12: An Artificial girl's take on the composure of a traumatized girl
Epilogue (Voice-Over):
"Back then… I was a star. A rising star in the modelling scene."
—cheers, applause, camera flashes—
"I felt confident. I felt free. I felt like I controlled my whole world… so long as I had the strength to walk that stage."
Lights flare, shutter sounds multiply…
"I was happy…
…until he took away the one thing I held closest to my heart."
---
Chapter 12
The Angel on the Stage
"Ayan. A star."
"A beautiful, tall dark angel whose presence didn't just walk the stage—
…it commanded it."
The crowd's applause rippled like a wave through an endless sea.
Cameras flashed in a storm, worshipping every detail of Ayan's posture, her silhouette, her calm, the grace embedded in her very bones.
"She had an aura… something that whispered she belonged to the eye. To admiration. To hearts."
Mailo stood at the balcony of his office, the city below silent compared to the noise in his mind.
A small smile tugged his lips.
"Ayan…"
---
Later
Birds chirped lightly under the shade of the old school tree.
Ayan sat quietly, the breeze brushing her skin like soft fingers, her expression perfectly calm—but her mind refused to rest.
Flashbacks hit her in jagged pieces:
"Ayan, you're so beautiful."
"Ayan, you're so tall."
—glitch—
"Is your beauty the only thing that defines you? Doesn't that make you shallow?"
—glitch—
"Someone younger will replace you soon."
—glitch—
"But don't worry… even if your agency drops you, I never will."
Her shoulders twitched from the echoes she was trying to bury.
"Ayan!!! Oh my goodness, I found you!"
Nita—pink afro, glowing brown skin, giant pink eyes—ran dramatically toward her.
Ayan sighed. "Oh… hi."
"'Hi'? HI?? That's all?? After your best friend searches this whole school—no hug, no dramatic greeting?? Ayan you wound me!"
Ayan stood up, lifted Nita like a plush toy, and spun her.
"AYANNNN!!! PUT ME DOWN!!"
"You wanted a hug," Ayan teased.
---
What's Wrong With You?
"So what's been bothering you lately?" Nita asked as they sat.
"Nothing," Ayan said too quickly.
Nita stared at her suspiciously.
"Stop looking at me like that," Ayan whined. "It's weird!"
"If you won't tell me the truth," Nita smirked, "I must resort to strange facial expressions."
"NITAAAAA—!"
Both laughed.
---
Mailo's Office.....
Mailo sat alone, legs crossed elegantly, a picture of Ayan in his hand.
Her face on the magazine cover stared back at him like a ghost.
"Promise me you won't leave," she once said.
"I promise," he once answered.
Back then… she made him feel tall despite being short.
He exhaled softly.
"Mistakes are inevitable… and I'm paying for mine."
---
The Hallway
The school hall buzzed with chaos, laughter, whispers.
"There she is—tall dark hottie."
"More like tall gold digger."
"She thinks beauty gets her everything."
Ayan kept walking. Calm face.
Elegant posture.
But her chest… stung.
Nita glared daggers at the girls.
Then Ayan saw them—Megan and Matongo, surrounded by girls, faces glued to a K-pop MV.
"Guys actually like this music?" she teased.
Matongo panicked. "N-no!! I was forced here! This isn't me!!"
"But didn't your mom call and your phone said 'cuddle buddy'?" Megan said.
The girls sighed. "Zambian boys…"
Then Megan finally noticed Ayan.
"It's her… the giant beauty…"
"Hi," Ayan said softly.
Megan didn't hesitate—she hugged her.
"I'm soooo glad to see you again!"
Ayan lifted Megan into the air and spun her.
"HOW IS SHE THIS STRONG??" the girl behind Matongo whispered.
When Megan's group left, they muttered,
"We don't want to be seen with bad influences."
Megan looked hurt. Ayan noticed.
"You like K-pop?" Ayan asked.
"Not 100%… but I like—"
Together they whispered dramatically:
"VTS."
Nita fake-coughed. "Helooo? Best friend here?"
Introductions followed, arguments, teasing… typical chaos.
Ayan asked Megan to hang out later.
"Bring him too," she joked, pointing at Matongo.
"I WILL NOT!" he yelled.
Megan ignored him immediately.
---
Later ..... During class session
.
" Using artificial intelligence is minor at this school our school has a strict student effort policy with AI only being used in organization , and maybe perhaps some brain storming " the teacher said as he swiped his tablet giving the students instruction.
.
The students followed through with his instruction. Megan herself paying clear attention to what the teacher is saying as she swipes her tablet.
"AI has no soul," the teacher said. "No independence. It is a tool."
Megan listened carefully, the harsh sunlight making her skin glow unnaturally.
( Flashback: Mr Banda fixing Megan's broken arm " I knew taking you up that bridge with me was a bad ideah , such ignorance " he said fixing her arm while she remained silent.
.
" Papa " she asked... " What are you doing"
.
" I'm fixing your arm ..." He said turning a screw " damn it I hope that didn't hurt " he said after accidentally missing a scew.
.
What hurt ??? " Megan asked. Causing Mr Banda to pause in hesitation .... remembering the fact that she doesn't feel pain .
.
" Ohh right you don't feel it do you " Mr Banda said
.
" What ? " Megan asked
.
" Pain " Mr Banda said .....
.
" Pain " Megan asked ...
.
" Yeahh...but don't worry clearly someday you might....just need to make a few adjustments" Mr Banda caused a spark " ahhhh " ( pa ) that Megan scream
..
" What was that " she asked concerned
..
" Hahahaha" Mr Banda just laughed )
.
Megan gently scrolled through her tablet screen as the harsh sun's rays penetrating through the class the windows , causing her skin to rather glow in reaction.
---
Later...
Ayan organized boxes in the silent storage closet. The room was quiet , silent and empty with absolutely no sound but Ayans organizing thing's herself.
Suddenly
(Tap.)
(Tap.)
(Tap.)
(Tap.)
Mailo walked in, roses in hand. Expression calm and step elegant.
"Oh."
Ayan immediately rushed, trying to finish her task faster, pretending he wasn't there. Then she moved toward the exit.
"Ayan. Why do you avoid me?" Mailo asked.
She ignored him.
"Ignoring me won't give me answers—"
He grabbed her hand.
"Leave me alone!" she shouted.
"Ayan, just listen—"
"How can I listen when YOU did this to me?!"
She pulled down her collar, revealing the long scar across her shoulder and back.
Mailo froze.
"It didn't heal…" he whispered. Guilt washed over him. "I'm… sorry."
Ayan slapped him. Hard. Aggressively shoving him back . As he stumbled back in his step
"Sorry won't give me my modelling career back!!!
Sorry won't give me my purity back!!!
SORRY WON'T FIX MY REPUTATION WHILE YOURS IS STILL PERFECT!!!!"
"Ayan—"
"NO!"
She ran out, slamming the door shut behind Mailo .
Mailo stood alone in the dark. His expression plain , yet his eyes conveyed some sort of guilt.
"The only person who could ever make my face show emotion…"
A tear dropped down his face . And onto the floor it fell.
"Is forgiveness truly that hard…
…or did I fall too hard for someone whose world was ahead of mine?"
..
He asked himself....
---
Meanwhile....
She stormed down the hallway, trembling, teeth clenched. Stomping the floor with absolute anger and aggression. Her fists were clenched tight and her breath rate increasing with each passing second.
"Never will I ruin your life," Mailo once said.( Flashback )
"YOU RUINED ME!"
Her voice cracked violently.
She collapsed to her knees, crying.
"You ruined me…"
---
Meanwhile — ( Zambia/Twazwe Border)
The tension was intense and the battlefield was filed with explosions , brutal battles and unexpected missle launches. The Zambian defense doing their all to hold themselves while clearly having an advantage on the Twazwe defense but regardless they proved to be a hassle.
.
( BOOOOMMMMM )
.
" The hell did mwansa retreat " One solider said .
"Beats me , I'm so exhausted I'm wondering why the commander general isn't calling for a retreat" said the other soldier trying to catch his breath as he collapsed due to exhaustion.
.
Meanwhile...
Under a tree, Matimba groaned, clutching her wound.
"Passed out… of course…"
Pain stabbed her.
"Ahhh—!"
A medic truck arrived.
"Matimba! Hang on!"
"Where's Mutale?" she asked weakly.
Said the medics they carried into the van.
"Makhaza and Leon teleported him away."
Said Boni one of the medics " things aren't things judging by how everything is going"
"I see…" Matimba said " ahhh " later on experiencing the sharp pain in her gut .
---
Inside the Command Tent
The commander, Leon, Makhaza and strategists hovered over the holographic battlefield.
"What's their plan?" the commander asked.
"In pure strength they only have one weapon," Makhaza said. "Everything else is unpredictable tech."
"And the mass soldier launch earlier—its almost like they want us to beat them," Khumalo said.
"We have every border guarded… this is a mess," the commander muttered, looking back to Banda ( flashback )
Then—
"No need to fear," a voice called from the entrance.
"Your hope has arrived."
Mutale walked in.
To be continued.
---