Kindness

• Hoyori Maruo, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2017

As human beings, it is our job to be kind to others.
There are two types of kindness;
The first one being the fabricated, fraudulent fictitious kindness
And
The second one’s true kindness.

I learnt this the hard way. This is my story

As a dancer, I have been exposed to a world that some people would never even step foot on during their entire life span.
The performing arts world.
It looks intoxicatingly jubilant from the outside, but behind that thick curtain of smiles and fake personalities; behind the many layers of make-up and hairspray, lies a dark and, well, sort of messed up world. The world overflowing with competitive, jealous, two-faced people who would do absolutely anything to attain their desired position.

I had entered this nefarious world when I was about three years old but I only figured out how things functioned around here until I was about ten. Since then, it’s been five years and all I can say, is that things just keep on going down-hill in that aspect. In saying that, this world that may as well be in a different dimension to school, helped me to understand what human beings are truly capable of and what you should trust and what you probably should keep your hands off. It basically taught me how to survive.
It also showed me which friends are truly yours and which "friends" are not. It taught me basically to not go around labelling people your "BFF" without digging deep and acknowledging who the person really is. If you see their flaws and you still love them with all your heart, then yes, they are your BFF. Mine, is now Sonya. For ten year old me, it wasn.t

Five years ago, Local Dance School, Ten Years Old Me; Diary

03/04/11
Dear Diary,
Today, when I got to dancing, someone kind had put two chairs where I normally sit. I still don’t know who did that for me but I’m guessing it was one my best friends, Claire. She’s the best dancer so all the teachers like her, but it’s not only that, it’s her personality. She’s always so kind!
I hope we stay as BFFs!
Hoyori xx

A week later

10/04/11
Dear Diary,
I’m shocked.
So today, when I was at dancing, I overheard Claire bragging to one of our head choreographers about how kind she is to me and everything and if she had just stopped there, things would have been okay, but then she just kept on going, dramatising everything and making stuff up! What’s worse is that, when I really needed her help and we were the only ones in the studio and I asked her for some, she gave me this dirty look and just walked off.
I honestly thought that she was truly kind. I thought she was a real friend.
Hoyori xx

A week later

17/04/11,
Dear Diary,
The most heart-warming and unexpected thing happened today!
As I was getting out of the car, and crutching my way to the studio, I saw Sonya, arranging the chairs in the studio. Sonya and I haven’t really talked that much before but I couldn’t help but feel my heart suddenly warm up.
I guess this is what true kindness really is.
Hoyori xx

Looking back at these diary entries now, I unquestionably want to go back in time and tell my fourteen-years old self, that yes, that is what true kindness really is.
Five years has passed since those diary entries and I can’t deny the fact that I have learnt a whole lot more about the performing arts world, but there is definitely still a whole half of the world that I am still most likely yet to encounter.
That wretched experience my mini me went through was basically just the start of a long lasting trend.
But these are the things that teach us as human beings something so powerful that only experience can show.
For ten year old me, in this chapter of my life, this something was kindness.
Claire possessed the fabricated, fraudulent fictitious kindness
and
Sonya showed me what true kindness, really was.