The Unspoken Currents

Beneath the Yellow Umbrella

The rain seemed determined to wash the world away, each drop hitting the ground like a personal punishment. Freen pulled her hood tighter, the damp fabric clinging to her skin as if mocking her. Her shoes were already soaked through, squelching uncomfortably with every step. She wasn't sure which was worse—the cold seeping into her bones or the gnawing anxiety twisting her stomach as she approached her new school.

Her mother's voice from that morning still echoed in her ears, soft and apologetic.

"We're doing our best, sweetie. I know things are tough, but I want you to know I'm proud of you."

Her mom's pride felt like a heavy weight. Freen didn't want her to feel sorry for not being able to afford the things other parents could—like a car to take her to school on a day like today. But Freen didn't want anything, not really. At least, nothing she would admit. She had learned to bury her desires deep, just like her emotions. It was safer that way.

Her feet dragged across the soaked pavement, her new school looming in the distance. The building seemed impossibly large, full of unfamiliar faces and the kind of social pressures she had fled from at her last school. She had asked to transfer to escape that suffocating feeling of being *watched,* of being *judged.* But standing at the edge of another sea of strangers, she wondered if anything would really change.

She hated this already.

Freen was halfway across the street when a flash of color caught her eye. A bright yellow umbrella, glowing against the gray rain, moved toward her. She slowed her pace, unsure of what she was seeing.

"Hey!"

Freen turned to see the girl beneath the umbrella. Caramel brown hair, cut just above her shoulders, framed her face, damp around the edges but still effortlessly pretty. She wore the same school uniform as Freen, though hers looked cleaner, better fit. Her eyes—light and playful—sparkled even in the gloom, and her smile was like sunshine cutting through the storm."Looks like you could use this." The girl's voice was cheerful, unfazed by the weather as she held the umbrella over Freen's head.

Freen blinked, unsure how to react. She wasn't used to kindness from strangers, especially not from someone who looked so effortlessly put together.

"I—uh, no, it's fine," Freen stammered, her throat tightening. She neither wanted nor needed help, but before she could protest, the girl pushed the umbrella into her hand.

"Don't worry about it. I'm almost at school anyway," she said with a grin, showing no sign of the discomfort Freen felt. "Besides, you look like you're about to drown out here."

Freen stood frozen, the yellow umbrella now in her hand, shielding her from the rain that had poured over her moments before. She didn't know how to respond.

The girl gave a little wave and ran off, splashing through puddles with an energy that made Freen's exhaustion feel even heavier.

As Freen watched her disappear into the crowd of students, she glanced down at the umbrella. It was a simple, bright yellow thing—the kind of item that belonged to someone like *her*—someone who lit up rooms and carried themselves with confidence. Someone who smiled at strangers in the rain.

Freen didn't belong to that world. She didn't trust it. Clutching the handle tightly, she continued toward the school, now with an unfamiliar brightness overhead. The rain no longer soaked her, but it still felt like she was drowning.

------------------------------
The classroom buzzed with chatter as students filed into their seats, excitement humming in the air. Freen slipped in quietly, keeping her head down as she scanned the room for an empty spot. A seat in the back corner caught her eye. Perfect. She moved quickly, hoping to stay invisible.But she felt the stares—curious, maybe pitying glances cast her way. She hated it. Her long, dark brown hair, still damp from the walk, clung to her back. Its familiar weight comforted her but also felt suffocating.