The Power Behind the Silence
Everyone knew Ada as the quiet one. She sat at the back of the class, never raised her hand, and often avoided eye contact. It wasn’t that she didn’t know the answers, she just didn’t want to be seen. Her reserved nature made her almost invisible in a room full of noise. But what no one knew was that behind that silence was a storm of thoughts, a deep well of creativity, and a voice waiting for the right moment to speak.
She would often scribble words into her journal during break time, poems and short stories that reflected the world she saw but rarely spoke about. Her classmates mistook her quietness for weakness, and some even mocked her. "Mute girl," one of the boys would whisper whenever she walked by. She heard it all, but never reacted. Reserve had taught her how to hold her peace, even when it hurt.
Everything changed the day their literature teacher, Mr. Ekene, announced a school-wide creative writing competition. "Every student must submit a short story," he declared. "The best five will be read aloud on Speech and Prize-Giving Day."
Ada didn't hesitate. For the first time, she poured her heart into a story; a powerful piece about a girl who felt invisible, yet learned to find strength in her silence. She titled it, “The Girl in the Shadows.”
Weeks passed. Then, on the day of the event, her name was called. Ada Umeh. Her story had made it to the top five and not just that, she was asked to read it aloud.
The room fell silent as she walked to the stage. Hands slightly trembling, she opened her paper and began to read. At first, her voice was low, uncertain. But sentence after sentence, something awakened in her. Confidence. Power. Emotion. And by the time she read the last line, the hall was still, breathless.
When she looked up, they weren’t mocking her anymore. They were clapping. Some even stood.
That day, Ada learned that being reserved didn’t mean being weak. Her quietness wasn’t a flaw, it was a strength that gave her depth and thoughtfulness.
Thanks for reading
@ritaetim