The school bell rang, slicing through the noise of Monrie High's crowded corridors. Students scattered like leaves in a windstorm. Laughter. Sneakers squeaking. Phone screens flashing. Everyone was seen. Heard. Known.
Everyone except Sarah.
She walked with her head down, arms folded, hoodie up black, oversized, like always. Her curly afro was tucked under a knit beanie even though the day was hot. Her phone was in her pocket, playing her safe place a looped playlist of Billie Eilish, Juice WRLD, and XXXTentacion. Their voices were her armor, her shadowed lullaby.
"They only listen because I'm quiet."
That was the thought she told herself, again and again. It wasn't true, but it made sense in the noise.
She passed a group of girls taking selfies by their lockers. One of them paused and looked at Sarah. Whispered something. Laughed. Sarah didn't look up.
"Hey, weirdo," someone muttered from behind. She couldn't tell who.
She pulled her sleeves over her hands tighter.
---
In class, Sarah sat in the third row from the back not too close to the front to draw attention, not too far back to seem like she didn't care. Three seats to her right was a guy she'd never noticed before. Or maybe she had, but she didn't think guys like that existed in her world. Tall, soft hair, warm skin tone, denim jacket effortless. He had this sleepy confidence that made him look like he belonged in a different movie. Not hers.
She didn't know his name. Didn't care to.
Her only friend, Carly, slid into the seat next to her, chewing gum and already talking about something wild.
"Sarah, you won't believe what Marcus did yesterday. This boy is OBSESSED. Like he said he dreamed about me, TWICE." Carly rolled her eyes and grinned. "And I told him, 'that's cute, now go wake up.'"
Sarah gave a half-smile, barely audible over her music. She didn't really care about Marcus, or dreams, or flirty drama. But she liked the way Carly made the world seem easier. Like emotions weren't always this heavy.
"You good?" Carly asked, tugging one side of Sarah's hoodie playfully. "Still living in sad girl music land?"
Sarah nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "That's home."
---
At home, things didn't feel much different. She had two older siblings, a younger brother, and two loving parents. But love didn't always translate. Not when your mind told you otherwise.
When her mom smiled at her, Sarah thought, She's pretending.
When her dad said, "I'm proud of you," she heard, You're still not enough.
The walls of her room were covered in posters not of models or makeup tutorials but of artists who bled their pain into songs. Her journal was filled with lyrics she was too scared to sing out loud. Except for when she was alone.
That night, she sat on her bed and played an instrumental from YouTube. A simple guitar loop. She hummed to it, softly, eyes closed, letting it hold her. Then her lips parted and words came out.
"I'm here, but you don't see me
I scream, but it's in silence…"
She stopped. Heart pounding.
She played it again. This time, she recorded it on her phone. When it ended, she stared at the screen like it wasn't hers.
> "Maybe this is how I talk."
---
The next day, she told Carly. Just casually.
"I've been… writing music."
Carly blinked, chewing her gum slower than usual. "Like, writing-writing?"
Sarah nodded. "Yeah. I recorded one."
"Can I hear it?"
Sarah hesitated. "No… not yet. It's dumb."
Carly touched her arm. "If it came from you, it's not dumb."
But Sarah's mind betrayed her kindness.
> She's just saying that. She doesn't mean it. Nobody really sees me.
Later that evening, Sarah walked home alone. Rain started falling not gentle, but hard and messy, like the sky was breaking apart. She didn't mind. Rain made more sense than sunshine.
That's when she saw him again the boy from class. Standing under a streetlight. No umbrella. Just stillness.
She passed him.
Then, the storm inside her home met the one outside.
---
She got home and the house was strangely quiet.
Her dad and older siblings were sitting in the living room. Her mom wasn't around.
"Hi," she said, for the first time starting a conversation.
They turned toward her. The silence was too loud.
"What… what's wrong?" she asked.
Her dad rubbed his hands together. "Sarah, your mom... she lost the baby."
The world stopped. Sarah froze.
> It's me. I did this. I'm bad luck. I'm a curse.
> They think I'm a monster.
She didn't respond. Her chest tightened.
She turned and ran out the door into the storm.
Her brain was loud again. Too loud.
> Three voices talking. One saying it's her fault. Another saying she's worthless. The third just screaming.
She stood there, soaked, in the street. And that's when he appeared again.
The boy.
He walked over, wordless, and held out an umbrella.
"I'm John," he said gently. "Take this. Go home."
Then he walked off, drenched, not waiting for her to speak.
---
She watched him go. Then, for some reason, cried.
Not because of the rain.
Not because of the baby.
But because for the first time, someone didn't ask anything from her.
---
She didn't go home.
She went to Carly's instead.
Said nothing.
Slept in silence.
---