Chapter 1— When The Silence Broke

There was a time when you couldn’t say Elena without immediately saying Grace right after. It just came out that way. ElenaandGrace. Always together. Like two peas in a pod. You couldn't imagine one without the other.

That's how Bluebell College saw them. From the front gates all the way to the back of the school, they were a pair. A friendship that seemed like it would last forever, not like the fake friendships some girls showed off. This was real. Every teacher knew it. Even older students respected them, which wasn't common for younger students. They walked around school like they had their own little world, built on secrets, late night chats, inside jokes, and dreams they whispered like prayers.

Grace came into Elena’s life during junior secondary school, confident and outgoing. She just became important, without even trying. One random Tuesday, she walked into class with snacks, and by lunch, she was sitting next to Elena like she had always been there. That was the start. From that day on, Elena wasn't alone anymore. She never ate lunch by herself. She never sat at the back, pretending not to care that nobody noticed her.

Grace saw her. Choose her. And for a girl who thought it was better to be invisible than rejected, that kind of attention meant everything. It let her be herself. Grace was everything Elena wasn’t loud, quick,witted, and always ready with a snappy reply. But they fit together. Perfectly. Somehow, Grace never made Elena feel inferior. She just filled in the empty spaces and made the dull parts brighter.

They shared more than just food and jokes. They shared quiet moments. The kind that didn’t feel awkward. The kind that said, “You don’t need to explain, I understand.” Elena’s home life wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either. Her mum was always busy with work, her brothers only talked to her when they wanted something, and her father was basically a memory. Sometimes, she would sit in her room and listen to the generators humming from people's houses like lullabies, just to block out the silence.

But then there was Grace. Just a text away. Or even just a “where are you?” message, and things would seem better. Grace didn’t fix her life, but she made it easier.

Their Saturdays were a routine. Elena would take a bus to Grace’s house. It was small, but lively. Always noisy. Always crowded. Grace’s mum called Elena my second daughter and always made sure she left with food. The two girls would sit under the mango tree, chatting about everything – boys that didn't matter, annoying teachers, classmates, and their dreams. They had so many dreams.

“I’m telling you, we’re going to be big,” Grace would say with complete certainty, and Elena would believe her, just because it was Grace. They talked about opening a shop, starting a channel, and moving to Canada. They talked about the kind of things that made life seem bigger than the smallness they felt stuck in.

Sometimes, people gossiped. Whispered things. Said they were too close. Even suggested stupid things. But the girls didn't care. Their friendship was their own, and nobody else was allowed in. Elena didn’t question it. She didn’t need to. Grace had her back, and she had Grace’s. Simple. Pure. Solid. And in a world full of lies and changing friendships, that kind of connection was rare.

She held onto it tightly for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was the main character in her own life. She felt seen. And with Grace, she could be loud, be silly, be vulnerable.

So, when things later fell apart, when their connection started to break, Elena didn’t see it coming.

That’s the thing about trust. It blinds you. Makes you forget that even good things end. Even mango trees stop bearing fruit eventually.

Chapter 2 — When Joy Was Easy

Life has its moments, like those calm and clear mornings, that feel gentle and easy. You don't even know how good they are until they disappear. That's how Elena and Grace's friendship started. Laughter was light, and their problems hadn't begun.

Bluebell College wasn't much to look at,old paint, loud classrooms, and teachers who shouted more than taught. Even then, Elena found a safe spot there. Or maybe Grace made it for her. Either way, it was real,in the back of their classroom and by the mango tree near the staff room. That's where they were happy.

Every day after break, they hung out under that tree before class. Grace would complain about the sun, the food, and how the prefects thought they were too important. Elena would laugh and agree, enjoying Grace's energy more than her complaining. It became normal, something they could count on. Happiness wasn't always big and loud. Sometimes, it was just Grace giving Elena the bigger piece of meat from her rice without a word.

Elena found comfort in those little things. Grace made ordinary days feel special. Like when she talked Elena into joining the debate team, not because they wanted to be lawyers, but because girls like us need to speak up. Or when they stayed after school, pretending to study, but they drew business logos in Elena’s notebook, one called GE Creations for Grace and Elena.

People looked up to Grace. Teachers liked her, even when she talked back. Students wanted to be around her, even when she rolled her eyes. Elena didn't know how someone could be so brave and so loved. But she didn't think too hard about it. That was Grace. And she was Elena's friend.

Their friendship didn’t need labels or constant attention. It just was,easy, like breathing. And for Elena, that was rare.

At home, things were hard. Love and peace weren't easy to find. Her mother worked long hours and always came home too tired to talk. Her older brothers argued about money or the TV remote. Her father? He wasn't there. He left when Elena was seven, and no one mentioned him afterward.

So when Grace brought her into her loud but warm home,where her mom laughed easily and hugged without thinking, where cousins came and went and no one judged you for being quiet, it felt like a dream. It was loud, but it didn't scare Elena. It made her feel alive, like she mattered.

They shared secrets, too. The kind of truth girls hide inside. Elena talked about missing her father, about how she hated when her mom called her strong when she just wanted to cry. Grace talked about always acting okay because people expect me to be strong. Different stories, but the same pain.

It made them closer. Grace had a small, worn notebook with Don't Open written on the front. Of course, Elena opened it, and Grace let her. Inside were poems, notes, and drawings of people from school. But Elena's favorite part were the Grace's Rules:

Rule 1: Don’t cry where they can see you.

Rule 2: If they underestimate you, let them. Then shock them.

Rule 3: Nobody’s coming to save you. So save yourself first.

At first, they seemed harsh. But the more Elena read, the more she understood. Grace had her own struggles. She just learned to wear strength like perfume,strong, bold, a little too much sometimes,but still a mask.

Happiness for them wasn't about everything being perfect. It was about finding peace in each other. When school was hard, when parents yelled, when life felt unfair, they had each other. They made their own happiness. They chose it.

They weren't the most popular or the prettiest or the richest girls. But there was something special about them, together. People noticed. They whispered and asked questions. But Elena didn’t care. If people thought it was weird for two girls to be so close, that was their problem.

Elena had never been so sure of anything. But with Grace, it was different. Until it wasn’t.

The problems hadn’t started yet,not in this part of their story. This time it was still bright. It still smelled like Grace’s mom’s food and Saturday sleepovers. It still had laughter so loud the neighbors complained. It still had Grace sneaking Elena into her room to talk about dreams that felt too big to say out loud.

This time still thought forever was real. Because happiness felt easy, because love wasn't confusing yet, because loyalty hadn't been tested by betrayal. This part didn't know what was next. And maybe that's what made it so precious,that pure, honest happiness that comes before life gets real.

Chapter 3 — Cracks In The Smile

It wasn’t a big dramatic breakup. No yelling, no door slams, or anything like that. It was a bunch of small things, easy to miss, but they stung if you paid close enough attention. Grace didn’t stop being her friend all at once. She just wasn’t around as much.

There was a time when Elena would glance up, and Grace would already be looking at her. They just knew what each other was thinking, a look, a smirk, or some inside joke. These days, Grace barely makes eye contact. She still smiled, but it felt hollow, like it didn’t reach her eyes, she smiled out of habit, not because she meant it.

It began at lunch. One day, Grace didn’t show up at their usual spot near the staircase. Elena waited, and waited, her rice got cold, and she lost her hunger. When she finally saw Grace in the hall, she was laughing, really laughing, with Miriam and those other girls who used to ignore them. Grace waved, acting like everything was normal.

That’s when Elena first felt that something was wrong. She told herself it was nothing, that Grace was busy with something, maybe a group project or who knows what. But it happened again the next day. And the day after that.

By the end of the week, Elena quit bringing extra snacks, since she had no one to share them with.

Sometimes, she’d see Grace in class, sitting in the front with her new friends. Still loud, still sure of herself, but the way she flipped her hair or laughed at dumb things seemed kind of fake. Elena sat in the back again, like she used to, just watching.

When she finally got the guts to actually ask, it was on a Wednesday after school. The sun was going down, and the air smelled like dust, sweat, and those fried dough balls from the street vendor.

“Are we good?” Elena asked, barely able to speak.

Grace blinked. “What do you mean?”

“I just… you’ve been acting different. You don’t even sit with me anymore.”

Grace looked away, playing with her phone. “I’ve just been busy, you know how it is this term.”

That was it. No “sorry,” no real reason, just “I’ve been busy.”

That night, Elena stared at her phone for hours, typing and deleting messages. She wanted to ask again, to get through to Grace. But what if Grace blew her off? What if she ignored her? That would hurt even more.

It was worse at school. People started talking, not strangers, but people who used to be jealous of them.

“Weren’t you two like, best friends?”

“Why is Grace always with Miriam now?”

“Elena is probably just too much. Maybe Grace finally got tired of it.”

They said it like it was just gossip, but it felt like getting stabbed. Elena smiled, pretending it didn’t bother her, but inside, she was falling apart.

She tried to keep things going, to laugh at the same jokes, to catch up with Grace in the hall. But now, Grace acted friendly when other people were around. Her eyes darted away, her laugh was quick, like she was trying not to see Elena was hurting.

One day, Elena got to school early. She walked by the front gate and saw Grace laughing, giving Miriam a pink butterfly clip. The same clip Elena had given Grace for her birthday. It wasn't just a clip. It meant something. Elena had picked it because it reminded her of Grace’s personality, her free spirit.

Now it was sitting in another girl’s hair.

Everything inside her went quiet.

She didn’t cry at first. She went into school like nothing was wrong, sat in her seat like she wasn’t hurting, and smiled at people like she wasn’t coming apart.

But in the bathroom, during break, the tears came. Not loud crying, just silent tears running down her face. Tears that tasted like shame.

The worst part wasn’t Grace leaving. It was that she didn’t even say why.

Grace didn’t owe her anything. At least, that’s what Elena kept telling herself. Friends split up. Personalities change. Maybe it was just a part of life that Grace had grown past her. But why did it sting like she'd been stabbed in the back? Their friendship had been the one thing Elena could always count on. Her parents barely noticed she existed, and her brothers were too loud to hear anything she said. Grace was her comfort. Her constant. And now… that was gone.

None of the teachers noticed anything was off. Neither did the school counselor, who just acted like she cared but never paid attention. But Elena noticed. She could feel it in the way she stopped raising her hand during class. In how she walked slower in the hallways. In the pit that formed in her stomach whenever she heard Grace’s name. Their old inside jokes were now being shared with someone else.

One Saturday, Elena, out of habit, grabbed her phone to text Grace. “You free to hang?” She paused, her thumb hovering over the send button. Then she deleted it. She didn’t want to have to beg for a friendship that was probably over.

Her weekends became more boring. No more under the mango tree talks. No more of that noisy house filled with the smell of Jollof rice while Grace’s mum called her “my daughter.” She stayed at home, curled in her bed, staring at the ceiling fan as it spun around and around.

Sometimes her mum would knock and ask, “You okay?” And she’d just nod. Because what else was she supposed to say? That her heart was breaking, but there wasn't any blood to show? That she missed someone who was acting like Elena didn't even exist?

At school, she started paying closer attention to every little thing. How Grace’s laughter seemed louder when she was around others. How she would tilt her head when Miriam spoke, acting as if everything she said was pure genius. How she barely even glanced at Elena, and when she did, her eyes were cold. Distant. Like they had never shared anything. Like none of it ever meant anything.

Elena didn’t tell anyone. Not even Chisom, that quiet girl who sat next to her in English and had once offered her some chin chin on a random Thursday. Chisom was nice, but she wasn’t Grace. Nobody was like Grace.

Then came the assembly.

It was a normal Monday morning. The principal went on and on about discipline and being on time, and the students were fanning themselves with notebooks. Elena was standing at the back, barely awake, when she heard Grace’s name.

Grace was on the nominations list for class prefect. Elena’s heart jumped into her throat.

That used to be their dream. The two of them standing together, getting voted in by their classmates, making changes to the school. They had it all planned, down to how they were going to take turns leading the morning prayers. Now it was just Grace. By herself. When her name got called, the students cheered. Miriam screamed the loudest. Elena didn’t clap. She just couldn’t.

Later that day, she found herself in the art room. She wasn’t an art student, but it was always quiet in there. Paint,splattered tables, dusty windows, and bits of leftover charcoal and pastel all over the floor.

She sat beside the window and just stared at the trees as they swayed back and forth. And for the first time in a while, she let herself feel everything. The sadness. The confusion. The anger.

She grabbed a piece of chalk and scribbled on the edge of the table: “How do you stop loving someone who you still see everyday?” Then she wiped it away. It didn’t fix anything, but it made her feel a little better.

She knew now that this wasn’t just a phase. It wasn’t going to get better if she just waited. Grace had moved on. Whether she meant to or not, she had left her behind. And Elena had to figure out who she was without her.

No more waiting under the staircases. No more sharing suya and zobo during lunch. No more hoping for texts that weren’t coming.

Chapter 4 — No Warning, Just Distance

There wasn't a big fight, or any yelling, or a sudden betrayal. It was more like Grace just quietly drifted away, so quietly that it almost didn’t feel real. And that’s what really stung. If Grace had at least shouted, maybe it would have made some kind of sense. If she'd said anything at all, Elena would have at least known where she stood. But Grace didn’t say anything.

It started with her taking ages to reply to texts. Then she’d just leave messages on read. And Elena noticed a few missed calls that Grace would never call back about. At first, Elena tried to make excuses for her. Like, maybe Grace was super busy. Or maybe she left her phone somewhere. Or maybe her schoolwork was piling up again. Maybe this and maybe that. The silence dragged on, and Elena just filled it with hopeful lies hoping Grace would come back to her like she used to.

They still saw each other since they went to the same school and walked the same hallways. But something was totally different. The way Grace used to look at Elena which was always with a playful glint in her eye, like she was about to say something funny that would make them both laugh for days that look was just gone. Now it was like just nothing or she was just being polite.

They still talked, but it was all surface,level stuff, like dry conversation about school. Nothing like their late night chats under the mango tree, sharing secrets and giggling about everything. Grace still smiled, but it wasn’t the same. Her smile now felt closed off.

Elena tried harder. She kept up their routines, waiting for Grace after school, saving her a seat during breaks, and texting her good morning like nothing had changed. But Grace's responses came slower and slower. The space between them just grew so naturally, it was scary like watching a plant die even though you were watering it every day.

Elena thought about just simply asking her, “Did I do something wrong?” or “Are you okay?” But every time she almost did, her chest would tighten. She was scared. It wasn't being afraid of the answer, but confirming what she already knew deep down: Grace was drifting away, and she wasn’t coming back anytime soon.

One Friday afternoon, Elena hung around by the school gate longer than usual. She had seen Grace walking out of school with a different group earlier laughing, talking, and linking arms with a girl from SS2. Elena waited, hoping Grace would turn and see her, or at least wave, or rush over like old times. But she didn’t even notice.

So, Elena turned and walked home alone.

The streets were as loud as ever, with okadas zooming past, hawkers shouting, babies crying, and horns blaring. But it all felt distant, like she wasn’t really there. Her legs moved, but her mind was somewhere else, replaying moments she didn’t realize would become just memories.

At home, everything just annoyed her, like the noise from the living room and the way her brothers would barge into her room without knocking. Even the smell of egusi soup, which she normally loved, was annoying. She just wanted quiet, but not the kind that makes you feel lonely.

That night, she picked up her phone again and opened Grace’s chat.

“Are we okay?”

She stared at the screen for ages before deleting the message. Then she typed again:

“You’ve been acting distant. I just want to know if I did something.”

Then she deleted that one, too.

Eventually, she turned off her phone completely and went to bed. But sleep didn’t come easily.

Saturday came, and she didn’t go to Grace’s house. For the first time in over a year, there was no text inviting her, no mango tree to sit under, and no Grace’s mum calling her “my second daughter.” Just a heavy feeling about Grace’s absence sat heavy in her chest.

She wondered if Grace even noticed. If she cared, or if she missed her at all.

In school, things stayed the same. Grace started hanging out more with her new friends, people Elena barely talked to. They were all louder, flashier, and always gossiping. Elena didn’t fit into that world, and Grace didn’t even try to make space for her.

One afternoon in class, a girl named Miriam leaned over to ask Elena something.

“Are you and Grace still close?”

The question felt like a slap. Elena blinked.

“I don’t know,” she replied.

Miriam nodded like she already knew the answer. “She’s been everywhere with Amaka lately. They even went to that party at Pelumi’s house. I thought you two always did stuff like that together.”

Elena just smiled weakly that fake smile you use when you're trying not to cry in front of people. She turned back to her notes, but the words looked all blurry.

The worst part wasn't that Grace abandoned her, it was how easily she seemed to move on. How she didn't even bother to explain or even try. Like Elena was just a chapter she decided to stop reading.

And still, Elena hoped, because with hope it is difficult to get rid of it. It sticks around even when there’s no real reason for it. She kept hoping that Grace would show up at her gate one day, knock, and say, “Sorry. I was going through stuff. I missed you.”

But no knock came. No message. No eye contact in the hallway. Just silence.

And when something becomes normal, it stops hurting so badly. It just becomes this dull ache you carry around with you. That’s how the weeks passed: with an ache in her chest and a silent phone.

One evening, while walking home, Elena passed by their old suya spot. She stopped, stood there, and the air still smelled the same: spicy, smoky, familiar. She almost turned around to go home, but something made her stay.

She bought a stick and ate it slowly remembering how they used to argue over who got the last piece, and Grace licking pepper off her fingers and teasing her for being a “baby mouth.”

The tears didn’t come, not that day.

But something shifted, just a tiny bit.

That night, Elena sat down at her table and opened a fresh page in her notebook. She didn’t know what to write, but she started anyway:

“There was no warning. Just distance.”

It was the most honest thing she had written in weeks.

Just her. Just Elena. And that had to be enough.

Chapter 5 — The First Time I Was Laughed At

Elena didn’t see them at first because she was late that morning. Her socks didn’t match, her hair was a mess, and she forgot her lunch. She rushed through the school gate just before it closed. The gateman gave her a look and mumbled about students who can't be on time. She apologized quietly, even though she was still catching her breath.

When she got to class, Grace was already there with the new group. They were loud, showy, and dressed like it was a fashion show every day. Elena hesitated at the door, but no one noticed her except Lauren, the new girl. She had neat cornrows and silver glasses and was always quiet but watchful. Lauren smiled.

Elena didn’t return the smile. She went to her usual seat in the middle row, where she’d sat with Grace last term, and started getting her books out. Grace was now at the back, laughing with Amaka and the others, like she’d always been one of them. Maybe she is now.

The day went by slowly. Class felt boring. The chalk on the board seemed pointless. The teachers talked too much, the students were too loud, and time crawled.

Then it was break time.

Elena stayed in class because she didn’t want to go out and wasn’t hungry. But she couldn’t ignore the noise from the hallway,the laughter, the giggles, and the teasing that only came from girls who thought they ruled the school. She glanced over, almost without thinking.

They were by the water tank near the tuckshop, gossiping. Grace was in the middle, lively in a way Elena hadn’t seen in weeks. Someone said something, and they all laughed.

But it wasn’t just a normal laugh.

It was a laugh at something, or someone.

Then Elena saw Grace look toward her classroom, Amaka whispered in Grace’s ear, and their laughter changed, becoming sharper.

She knew that laugh.

It wasn’t just a joke.

It was aimed at her.

It stung like smoke in her eyes. Elena looked down, pretending to write. But her pen wasn’t moving.

That was the first time she’d been laughed at.

She didn’t cry then and there, but something inside her, something small and soft, shrank back.

After school, she didn’t wait by the gate. She took a different way home,past the shops with broken umbrellas, past the tire repairman who always guessed people’s names, past the old, broken,down taxi that never moved. The sun was strong, but the walk helped. It felt like leaving behind a memory that was trying to stick to her.

At home, she didn’t say much. Her mom asked if she was okay, and she nodded. Her brothers were noisy as usual, and she let them be. That night, she lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, not thinking or crying.

The next morning came too quickly.

Somehow, she ended up back in the same classroom, in the same seat, facing the same people pretending things were the same.

Then, something happened.

Lauren sat next to her without saying anything or asking. She just came during free period and put her books down next to Elena’s.

Elena blinked.

Lauren looked up and asked, “You write with your left hand?”

Elena nodded slowly.

Lauren grinned. “Lefties are cool. It’s like being a unicorn.”

It was so random that Elena laughed a little before she could stop herself. Lauren noticed.

She smiled again. “You laughed.”

Elena looked away quickly. “No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did.”

There was silence.

Then Lauren added, “People can be mean. They laugh at what they don’t get.”

Her words hung in the air.

Elena didn’t answer but didn’t tell her to leave.

That was the first time someone had sat next to her since Grace stopped trying.

Lauren didn’t try to talk much. She just opened her book and started underlining things with a purple pen. Sometimes, she drew little things in the margin,sunflowers, swirls, words in block letters. At one point, she even leaned over and said, “Do you think ‘biology’ sounds like a name? Like, if someone in a movie was named Biology?”

Elena actually laughed. It was a real laugh, a little confused but real.

That’s when she realized it.

This wasn’t laughter at her.

It was laughter with her.

It felt new, unplanned, weird, and safe.

By lunch break, Lauren was talking about how she hated cold beans and how her sister once used her toothbrush to clean her shoe. Elena just listened, not saying much, but feeling the noise in her head quiet down a bit.

After school, they walked part of the way home together,not the whole way, but enough to feel like things had changed a little.

For the first time in weeks, Elena didn’t feel invisible.

She wasn’t completely okay, but she wasn’t as empty either.

Lauren didn’t ask about Grace or try to fix anything. She just showed up. Sometimes, that’s what people need,not a solution, just someone who’s willing to be there.

The week went by with small moments,sharing pencils, quiet smiles, and a snack passed under the table. Lauren didn’t make a big deal out of it. She sat next to Elena every day, and Elena found it easier to breathe every day.

One afternoon, as they were packing up, Lauren looked at Elena and said, “I don’t know what happened before, but people are dumb, and you deserve better.”

Elena didn’t know what to say. But that night, when she got home, she started writing again.

“Sometimes, getting better starts with laughter that doesn’t hurt.”

Chapter 6 — Shrinking In A Crowded Room

Some silences speak volumes, you know? Like they echo even when there's noise all around.

Elena was sitting in the middle of the school hall, surrounded by kids in messy uniforms who looked like they hadn't had enough sleep. The morning announcements went on forever, and the principal was giving his usual speech about being tidy, showing respect, and being good. But Elena wasn't paying attention.

All she could think about was how she felt like she was both seen and invisible at the same time. She was right in the thick of things, but she felt totally alone.

Her eyes wandered across the rows of students. Grace was a couple of rows ahead, standing with Amaka, Toyosi, and Miriam. They seemed to have it all together – perfect socks, matching hair ribbons, shiny shoes. Their laughter floated over the crowd, soft but cutting. Every time Grace laughed, Elena's chest felt tight.

It had only been weeks since Grace stopped talking to her. Since she stopped waiting after class, stopped defending her when people were gossiping, and started laughing with other people… at Elena.

And even now, standing there, Elena still hoped that Grace would turn around and meet her halfway.

But she didn't.

Instead, Grace leaned into Miriam and whispered something that made them both laugh. Elena had seen them exchange looks after looking at her twice that week.

Finally, the bell rang, cutting through the air.

The students scattered like noisy birds. Elena didn't follow anyone. She walked slowly, hugging her books to her chest, dust kicking up from the broken floor tiles. The noise around her didn't bother her. People bumped into her, but nobody noticed her. She felt like she was fading away, getting smaller with every step.

Lauren was absent from class, which made things worse.

Lauren was her only comfort these days, the only person who didn't make her feel out of place. With her gone, the space next to Elena's seat felt huge.

Break time was awful.

Elena stayed in her seat, chewing on the end of her pen, pretending to read. Outside, the usual crowd had gathered by the school mango tree. Boys were running around, and girls were in small groups, gossiping. Elena saw a piece of chinchin roll across the floor toward her desk, someone probably dropped it by accident.

She didn't move.

Then, a voice whispered behind her, Isn't that the girl Grace used to follow around like a puppy?

Another giggle. I heard she begged Grace not to leave her. How lame is that?

The laughter that followed wasn't loud, but it stung.

Elena's throat felt dry.

She stood up slowly and walked out, not looking back or blinking. She went to the back of the school building, where the generator shed and an old wheelbarrow were. Nobody ever went there. The walls were peeling, and the ground smelled rusty.

She sat there, all alone.

She didn't cry, not really. Her eyes were wet, but no tears fell. It was a sadness that just sat in her throat, not letting her cry or leave. She rested her head on her knees and just took quiet, shallow breaths, like a kid hiding from a storm.

It wasn't fair.

She hadn't done anything, at least nothing that would make Grace stop being her best friend or make her the joke of the school.

She thought back to when things were easy, when she and Grace would run to the staffroom, laughing about being late. When they would sit on the back stairs during break, eating puff,puff and arguing about who was the better singer,Tems or Ayra Starr. When Grace would look at her and say, No matter what, I'm here for you.

Where did that go?

And why didn't Grace fight for her?

That question bothered her more than anything.

She heard footsteps.

Elena quickly wiped her eyes and looked up.

It was Lauren.

She had a plastic bag in her hand and looked a little worried. I looked for you in class. I had a dentist appointment earlier.

Elena tried to smile, but it didn't feel real. You didn't miss anything.

Lauren sat down next to her, leaning against the cracked wall. “That’s not true. You missed me.”

She said it with a smile, and it made Elena feel a little better.

She laughed a little. Okay, maybe I did.

Lauren pulled out a sausage roll and gave it to her. Eat.

I'm not hungry.

Still, eat something. You look like you've been fighting with a ghost.

Elena smiled a little and took the sausage roll.

They ate quietly for a few minutes.

Then Lauren said, “People always need someone to blame, you know? Especially when they’re trying to fit in.”

Elena looked up.

Lauren went on, Grace didn't stop being your friend because of you. She stopped because being friends with you wasn't good for her anymore. That says more about her than it does about you.

Her words hit Elena hard.

Elena nodded slowly, but her voice broke when she whispered, Why does it still hurt so much?

Because you're human.

After a moment, Elena asked, How do I make it stop?

Lauren smiled a little. You don't. You feel it, you carry it with you, and eventually, it makes you stronger.

There was no easy answer, no sudden change. But hearing those words helped somehow. Elena didn't feel completely better, but she felt… seen.

The bell rang again.

As they walked back to class, Elena noticed that people were still staring and whispering. Grace was still laughing with her new friends. Nothing had changed on the outside.

But inside, Elena was done with feeling small. Maybe she would never be the most popular person in the room or have the perfect group of friends. But she wasn't going to disappear just to make other people happy, not anymore.

Chapter 7 — The Silence I Chose

Some silences are forced on you, while others you walk into yourself. Elena stopped trying to fix things with Grace. It wasn't that she stopped caring; it just got too tiring. It felt like yelling across a river, only to see the other person stopped listening a long time ago.

So, she picked silence. Not the kind that made her a victim or kept her hiding. This silence was on purpose, quiet, and made her less seen by those who didn't care and more aware of herself.

She walked through school like she was carrying something important. No more rushing or fake smiles. She stopped watching Grace, hoping she would turn around.

Of course, people still whispered. Students lowered their voices so she could hear her name in their laughter. Some even called her “the ghost of Grace’s past.” But Elena didn't care anymore. She'd heard worse from Grace herself.

One Wednesday in Literature class, things started to change. They were reading Purple Hibiscus, and Mrs. Omolara told them to write about silence. “Not just when no one is talking,” she said, arms crossed as usual. “I mean emotional silence. The kind that shouts louder than words.”

Elena's pen moved fast. The words came out like they'd been waiting. She wrote about feeling outside even when you're right next to someone. She wrote about how betrayal wasn't always a storm. Sometimes, it came slowly through texts that were ignored, eyes that looked away, and the space between chairs that used to touch.

She didn't read it out loud when she was done. But Mrs. Omolara came over, looked at her paper, and stopped. For the first time since school started, someone saw more than just the quiet girl who followed Grace. She saw a voice, a writer, someone who turned pain into words.

Later, Mrs. Omolara said they'd be submitting the essays to a writing contest. Elena's was one of the five picked.

She wanted to tell someone, but her parents were busy with her cousin, and her siblings were watching cartoons. Lauren wasn't at school. So, Elena kept the news to herself.

Maybe silence wasn't always bad. Sometimes, it was a space where she found a different kind of freedom.

That Friday, as school ended, Elena stayed to return a book. Grace was standing outside, with Amaka and Toyosi, who were holding shawarma. But something was off. Grace wasn't laughing or even talking. She seemed uneasy.

Elena slowed down, trying not to look at them. But Grace spotted her. For a moment, their eyes met. It wasn't the same look they used to share.

Just distance, like they were strangers.

Elena looked away first, not because she was ashamed, but because she didn't want Grace to look away this time. She walked on, not turning back.

She didn't see Grace exhale or blink like she was holding something back.

The next week, Lauren came back. She walked into class saying, “Good morning,” and her sandals squeaked.

She sat next to Elena and asked, “Did you win the lottery? You look different.”

Elena smiled. “I got picked for a writing thing.”

Lauren gasped. “What?! Teach me!”

They laughed, just enough to make the air feel lighter.

Elena realized she hadn't just picked silence. She had picked who was worth breaking it for.

During lunch, they sat under the guava tree. Lauren took out two meat pies. “For the winner.”

Elena smiled. “I haven't won yet.”

“You already did,” Lauren said. “You found your voice.”

It felt like the truest thing anyone had said in weeks.

Later, Elena sat down to fill out the contest form. It needed a short bio, only 50 words.

She picked up her pen and wrote: “Elena is a student who thinks words can carry pain. She lost a friend and found her voice. She writes to remember even silence has a story.”

She read it over and didn't change a thing.

Chapter 8 — Just A Joke, Right?

It began with laughter. Not happy laughter, but the kind that leaves a bad taste. It made silence feel better.

It happened during break, two days after the writing contest list went up in the staff room. Elena went to refill her water, and when she got back, the vibe had changed.

Grace was standing in the hall, talking a bit loud, with a wide, cold smile.

“She wants to be a writer now,” Grace said, holding out her hands like she was showing off something weird. “Can you believe it? The same girl who used to stutter when we told her to speak up. Or is this a different Elena?”

People laughed. Not everyone, but enough to hurt. Lauren, who was by the locker, frowned.

“Was that about you?”

Elena didn’t answer. She didn’t have to. Her name was thrown into the joke like a rock in still water. It spread everywhere. Someone had turned her silence into a joke. Something delicate became something funny. And school laughter? It never stays in one place,it spreads like crazy. Or worse, like a nasty rumor.

By the end of the day, someone wrote Writer girl thinks she's deep on her locker in permanent marker. Another joke.

At first, Elena told herself it didn’t matter. It was just noise from people who didn’t get what it took to get back up after being knocked down. But even lies, if you hear them enough, start to feel true.

That night, she stayed in the bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror. Not trying to cry,just trying to remember who she was before her name was a joke. Maybe they didn’t get what her writing meant. Maybe they didn’t care.

But she did.

The next morning, walking into class, someone clapped and muttered, “Hey, Maya Angelou.” Another joke.

Elena stopped. Her hands tightened around her books. For a second, she thought about leaving. But then she saw Lauren’s face,steady, calm, not laughing. Waiting.

That was enough.

She walked in, found her seat, and sat down. No shrinking. No rushing. No explanation.

Lauren leaned in. “Let them talk. It means they’re watching. You’re doing something right.”

Elena didn’t answer, but she breathed easier. Sometimes, all you need is someone who doesn’t laugh with everyone else.

During Civic Education, when the teacher mentioned freedom of speech, people started whispering. Someone said, “Elena, come explain it to us.”

More laughter.

But this time, Elena raised her hand.

Everyone turned.

“Yes, Elena?” the teacher asked, surprised.

She stood up slowly, hands by her sides. “Freedom of expression means you can say or write what you think without being made fun of.”

The class was quiet.

No jokes followed.

And for the first time, Elena didn’t feel like her silence was a shield,she saw that her voice could be strong.

At the end of the day, Grace walked past her desk while she packed. No words. Just a slow look. Elena couldn’t figure it out. Regret? Or just surprise?

It didn’t matter.

She wasn’t waiting for Grace to clap for her anymore.

That night, she took out her journal,the one she hadn’t touched since she cried on it,and wrote:

“They laughed, but I didn’t break. That’s something, right?”

Chapter 9 — Invisible and Loud

Becoming invisible isn't always quiet. Sometimes, the loudest parts of you go first. Like, your laugh that everyone knew, or wanting to raise your hand in class, or even just tapping your foot during the morning announcements. Then, the noise just… goes away. And the world keeps spinning, like you never even mattered.

Elena started seeing it in small ways. People didn't wait after school anymore. No one saved her a seat. Heck, teachers barely knew her name. Girls who used to smile at her now didn't even look up. If she dropped her bag, no one helped. If she missed notes, she copied them herself because no one offered.

She didn’t change, or at least she didn’t think so. She still came early, wore her hair the same way, and still rocked that purple hair tie Grace gave her. But somehow, she was fading away,just part of the background. There, but not really. Breathing, but barely felt.

Sometimes Elena hung outside class during break, watching everyone laugh. She'd cross her arms, pretend to be on her phone, anything to look like she fit in. But inside, it was screaming without a sound. The noise she used to bring was gone, replaced with nothing.

The loudest thing was the voice in her head.

She thought about a time when someone made a joke (not even that funny, just loud) and used her name as the punchline. People laughed, not because it was funny, but to avoid being weird, I guess. Elena just stared at her desk, her face burning. She wasn’t sure what hurt more: the joke, or that Grace laughed, too.

Grace hadn't changed. She was still Grace,cool, sure of herself, the type everyone gravitated too. She just wasn’t Elena’s Grace anymore. That version belonged to everyone else. And Elena? She felt forgotten.

Sometimes, she wondered if she was being dramatic. Maybe it was just a phase, or Grace was just busy. Maybe people had their own problems. But those thoughts didn't last and the hurt lingered. That's how she knew it was real. Her silence wasn’t just a choice,it was how she survived.

She stopped raising her hand, because why bother? She quit bringing extra pens. No one ever asked for them. She stopped talking in the class chat. No one cared. It was like shrinking, but on the inside.

One time at school, she walked past some classmates talking. They got quieter when she walked by, but she still heard her name, spoken like she was someone to pity. She didn’t cry at that moment. But that night, she cried under her blanket until what felt like everything was out.

The worst thing wasn’t being ignored. It was remembering what it felt like to belong and share laughter.

It was missing the days when her voice could be heard, without the fear of it cracking.

It was seeing herself become smaller in a place that used to feel like home.

And still… even in the quiet, she stayed.

Not because she had no other place to go. But because a piece of her was still waiting.

Waiting to be remembered.

To be chosen again.

To be heard,as someone who mattered.

Chapter 10 — The Mirror Lied

That morning, Elena spent way too long staring in the mirror. It wasn't to admire herself or check her uniform. She just stared, like if she looked hard enough, the mirror would show her something real.

But it didn't. It just lied.

The girl staring back wasn't her. Or maybe she was, and that hurt most of all.

Her face seemed smaller. Her eyes were dull. Her lips didn't smile by themselves anymore. She touched her cheek like it belonged to a stranger. For the first time, she didn't know what to call that face. Elena? It used to mean something. Now it felt like a word people used to throw rocks at her.

She blinked hard. Still the same face. The same whispers in the hallway. The same empty seat in class. The same pain in her chest when she saw Grace, who now acted like Elena was some ghost she regretted.

During break, Elena went to the toilet instead of the canteen. She wasn't hungry. And even if she was, eating meant facing the noise. And in the noise, the silence about her got louder.

She checked her phone. No messages.

She scrolled through old chats. She looked at the voice notes, selfies, and videos she and Grace used to make. It was like a time capsule of what they used to be. Her finger hovered over Delete chat. But she couldn't do it. Not yet. Maybe never.

Instead, she locked her phone and leaned her head against the cold, tiled wall. It felt firm and real, not like anything else these days.

What sucked wasn't the laughing. It wasn't even the fake smiles from girls who used to beg to sit with her and Grace. It was how fast everything went south. One second she was seen, wanted, safe,the next, she was just trying not to be noticed.

She thought about asking Grace what was up. But then she remembered how Grace barely looked at her. How she laughed the loudest at Elena's expense. How she called her too sensitive when Elena tried to say it hurt.

So she said nothing.

She started talking less and laughing less. She became a background character in her own life. Even her teachers noticed.

Elena, is everything okay? Miss Omotosho asked gently one day.

She nodded. What could she say?

That she felt like she was wearing someone else's skin? That the girl she used to be vanished when Grace went quiet and the crowd started laughing?

That every time she looked in the mirror, she saw a girl she didn't even know anymore?

When school let out, she walked home slowly. She didn't want to go home, but she didn't want to stay either. The field was empty except for some young kids chasing a flat ball.

She sat under a tree and watched them, remembering when she and Grace used to sit here, too. They'd talk about the future, their dreams, and how they'd always be us.

Now it was just her.

Elena. Alone. Confused. Fading.

The mirror lied, sure,but so did everything else.

And maybe the worst lie of all was the one she told herself:

That some friendships can last forever, no matter what.

Chapter 11 — Not The Same Anymore

The silence was heavy, like a weight pushing her down. It clung to her, a tight, invisible second skin.Even the laughter in the halls sounded off, sharp and cold, like she was outside looking in.

When the bell finally rang, she didn’t wait for anyone. Her bag was practically packed already, like she’d been wanting to disappear all day. The walk home felt longer than usual. Everything reminded her of something. The boarded-up shop on the corner still had the sign she and Grace used to make fun of, laughing so hard their stomachs hurt. The boli seller across the street still had the same wrapper Elena once spilled water on, and Grace apologized for ten whole minutes. They were small things, stupid even, but now they felt like ghosts walking beside her. Loud, heavy ghosts that didn't say anything, but wouldn't leave her alone.

By the time she got to her gate, her feet felt numb, not from walking, but from pretending everything was fine. Her mom was home, but Elena just mumbled hello and went straight to her room. She didn't change or eat. She sat on the floor by her bed, hugging her knees, like that could keep her from falling apart. The silence in her room wasn't calm, it was deafening. Her own thoughts screamed at her, names, jokes, the way Grace looked away too fast.

She hadn’t cried yet, which was weird. After everything, the classroom, the jokes, the way they were ignoring her,no tears came. It was like her body wouldn't let her. Even her sadness was too tired to show. She didn't know how long she sat there, frozen, before she picked up the photo on her desk. It was dusty, the same old picture of her, Grace, and Miriam after their school trip to Ibadan. All smiles and teeth stained with jollof. Elena almost laughed, but the sound caught in her throat. Her fingers tightened on the frame. She didn’t break it or throw it. She just held it tight and closed her eyes.

Maybe she was the ghost now.

She wasn't sure how long she stayed like that before her mom knocked softly on the door. Elena swallowed hard before answering.

“I’m fine, " she said, but it didn’t sound like her.

She lied again when her mom asked about school, saying it was okay. She even forced a smile at dinner, but the rice tasted like nothing. Her mom didn't push, not yet. But her eyes lingered, like she knew something was wrong.

That night, Elena couldn't sleep. She stared at the ceiling, listening to the fan and the quiet traffic. Her thoughts raced around and around, questions with no answers. What did she do? Why did Grace change? When did the jokes become mean?

Then, a scary thought popped into her head: what if this is just how things would be from now on? No explaining, no sorry, just emptiness where her friendship should be.

Chapter 12 — A Name That Didn’t Hurt

Elena's name used to feel unsafe. Not when those who whispered and twisted it said it. Not when it was shortened in class or echoed in the bathrooms. But today, things felt different.

The day started like any other. The assembly area was hot and full of voices. Students gathered in groups, laughing at things that weren't funny, wanting to be noticed. Elena stood in the back, behind the SS2B line, arms crossed, lips tight. She didn’t want to be seen. She was trying not to disappear.

Lauren spotted her. She didn't wait. She walked past her friends and tugged Elena's sleeve, like she’d done before. But her eyes were different this morning. No pity. Not happiness. Just understanding.

“Come on,” Lauren whispered. “Let’s go by the mango tree. It’s quieter there.”

They walked without talking. The air was full of announcements. Elena remembered last term,the laughter, the names that weren’t hers, the notes in notebooks. But here, under the mango tree, it was quiet. And shady. And Lauren.

“You know,” Lauren said, putting her bag on the grass, “when I came here, I was worried about my accent. My dad said I sounded too British-Nigerian. I kept correcting people when they said my name wrong. Then I got tired. I stopped.”

Elena looked at her. Lauren was telling the truth.

“They called me ‘London girl,’” she went on. “Then it got worse. They made fun of how I said ‘water’... how I wore my hair... how I didn’t know the slang.”

Elena blinked. Lauren had never said this before. She always seemed confident.

“I thought if I changed a bit,” Lauren shrugged, “maybe I’d fit in better. But I was losing myself just to be in places that still didn’t accept me.”

It was quiet between them. The bell rang, but they didn’t move. Elena spoke softly.

“They called me ‘robot.’ Or ‘mama serious.’ It never stopped. Even when I tried to laugh with them. It made it worse.”

Lauren nodded. “They made fun of what made you strong. They do that.”

Elena didn’t cry. She wasn’t sad. She just looked ahead, like she understood something. The parts of her that used to shrink weren’t shrinking anymore. She wasn’t growing yet,but she wasn’t fading.

Later, after second break, Mrs. Olatunji called on her in Literature class. “Elena, read the next paragraph.”

Everyone was tense, waiting for her to mess up. But this time, her voice didn’t shake. She read with a quiet strength.

When she finished, someone in the back,maybe one of the boys who used to tease her,said, “That was good.”

She didn’t turn around. She didn’t smile. But inside, something changed.

It wasn't a victory. It wasn’t huge. It was smaller.

It was that her name, Elena, didn’t hurt when people said it. Not anymore.

Chapter 13 — Let the Light in

The rain stopped sometime during the night, but the ground was still damp. Morning light came in through the open curtains, soft and gentle, as if understanding today's weight. The room was quiet except for Elena's hands rustling as she folded a small letter into her notebook, one she had written to herself, or maybe to the girl she used to be.

Everything had led to this point: sour laughs, comments in the hallway, barely recognizing herself in the bathroom mirror. The hurt hadn't disappeared, but something had changed, it no longer choked her.

Her mom stood in the doorway, arms crossed, showing a softness Elena hadn't seen in months.

Ready?

Elena nodded, no words needed. Her mom stepped aside, and together they stepped into the morning, school bag slung over her shoulder, her legs feeling lighter than they had in years.

At school, the place had the usual Monday chaos: students dragging, boys playfully tossing bags, teachers already yelling about tardiness. The normal scene should've suffocated her, but instead, it grounded her.

She walked with her head up, not expecting applause or anything, but because she didn't feel like hiding anymore, not from the stares, the whispers, or even Grace.

It was strange how the heart could let go without bitterness. She saw Grace standing near the back of the area, surrounded by her usual group. Their laughter rang like empty bells. Grace's eyes met hers for a second, and there was a flicker of something, maybe guilt or nostalgia, but it passed. No smiles, no nods, just silence.

And that was fine.

There was a time when the silence felt like punishment. Now, it was a sacred and needed space.

Lauren showed up beside her, her hair in that messy bun she never fixed, her backpack covered in quote pins and sun-shaped keychains.

You okay? she asked, looking her over, making sure she hadn't broken overnight.

Yeah, Elena said, then paused. I mean... finally.

Lauren smiled. That's all that matters.

They found their seats for the morning service. The hymnbook felt different in Elena's hands, lighter, maybe because it wasn't weighed down by everyone's eyes anymore.

The day went like any other school day: teachers taught, people gossiped, and tests were handed out. But inside, she was quieter, more tender.

During break, she went back to the art room, the place she used to run to when it got too loud. Sun came in through the window, lighting up the dust like gold. She walked to the back table where she used to hide and cry, and opened her sketchbook.

It wasn't full of masterpieces. It was mostly messy, with lines overlapping and pages torn in frustration. But each page was a piece of her becoming.

Lauren walked in and sat across from her, no questions asked, just there. That was the thing about her. She never pushed. She never acted like she knew how to fix things. She just stayed.

I drew this last night, Elena said, flipping to the last page.

It was a mirror, cracked, but flowers bloomed in the cracks, soft petals, vines growing between the shattered glass.

Lauren stared for a long time. This... this is you.

Elena nodded. I think I'm ready to stop hating the girl in the mirror.

They didn't need to say much more.

As the final bell rang, Elena stayed back a while, no rush, no fear of walking alone. The halls had changed, or maybe she had. She could still hear past laughter echoing, but it didn't bother her anymore.

Grace passed her near the exit. For the first time in months, she slowed down.

Elena, she said quietly.

Elena turned.

Grace looked unsure, out of place, like she was borrowing courage.

I just... I didn't know how to stop what was happening, and then I did nothing. I'm sorry.

Time stopped for a second.

Elena took a breath. I wanted to hate you, I did, but it wasn't hate, it was hurt, and I don't carry it for you anymore.

Grace blinked. Are we... okay?

We're not what we were, but I don't wish you harm, Elena said softly. That's good enough for me.

Grace looked down, then nodded. She walked away, slower this time.

Lauren met Elena by the gate, leaning on the wall as always. Ready?

Elena nodded. Ready.

They walked home together under a quiet sky. Not everything had healed, not everything was perfect, but, for once, Elena didn't feel like she was drowning. She didn't need to hide her name, her laugh, or the scars the year had left behind.

She would always have those months with her: the betrayal, the silence, the way her name was made into a joke, but she would also have the strength it took to get back to herself.

At home that evening, she pinned a note to her wall: Let the light in, even through the cracks.

She had made it, maybe not all the way, but far enough to breathe again, far enough to start over.

– The End –