The Weight of Silence

Chapter 2

16. September, 1997
London, England

My alarm blares at 7:30, yanking me from a deep sleep. I groggily swipe it off, squinting at the light creeping through the curtains. Another school day. I drag myself out of bed, stretch, and rub my eyes. After a quick glance in the mirror, I throw on a burgundy blouse and dark blue jeans, pulling my hair into a loose ponytail. I grab my bag and coat, then head downstairs.

The smell of breakfast hits me as soon as I step into the kitchen. Mom's making granita. I sit down at the table, inhaling the warm scent of fried dough and honey. I eat quickly, grab my things, and head out the door just in time to catch the bus. The ride is uneventful, and I find myself lost in my thoughts as the city blurs by.

When I arrive at school, I'm a few minutes late, but I slip into class quietly and take my seat. The day drags on, each hour feeling longer than the last. Finally, lunch comes, and I meet Nadiira in the cafeteria. We grab our food and sit down to talk.

That's when I spot him—Sayjan. He's sitting with his friends, laughing about something. I glance at him, and for a split second, our eyes meet. He looks up, and we share a shy smile before he looks away. My cheeks warm, but I try to focus on Nadiira. We've barely spoken before, and I'm not sure what to make of the brief moment.

The rest of the day blurs by, and soon it's time to head home. I grab my things and walk to the bus stop, still thinking about the exchange with Sayjan. The bus ride feels longer than usual, and by the time I get home, I'm ready to relax. I drop my bag by the door and head to the kitchen, where Mom is cooking dinner.

"Hey," I say as I grab a snack. She looks up, nods, and returns to her cooking.

A few hours later, the light outside dims and the cool night air starts settling in. I've just finished my homework and was planning to unwind before dinner when the phone rings. I expect it to be Nadiira, but when I answer, it's someone I least expected.

"Hey, Adma. It's Sayjan."

I freeze for a moment.

"Oh, hi, Sayjan."

"I was wondering if you'd like to meet me at the park this evening? Maybe around 7?"

My heart skips a beat. I hadn't expected to hear from him, especially not like this. We've only exchanged a few casual glances at school, nothing more. The idea of him reaching out like this catches me off guard.

I glance at the clock—it's almost 6:30. I could definitely use a walk, but I'm not sure what to say. I don't know him well enough to know what this is, but something about the invitation feels easy, like he's just someone I could talk to.

I take a deep breath.

"Sure, I'll be there at 7."

"Cool. I'll see you then."

"Yeah. Bye."

After a few minutes, I throw on my jacket and head out. The cool air greets me as I walk down the street, my thoughts still tangled in the idea of meeting him. I don't even know why he caught my attention. Maybe it's the way he carries himself, or how he smiled at me today. Either way, I can't shake the thought of him.

When I reach the park, I spot him standing by a lamppost, hands in his pockets. He looks up as I approach, and for a moment, we just stand there, both of us unsure of what to say. I take a deep breath and offer a small smile.

"Hey," I say, my voice sounding a little more nervous than I intended.

"Hi," he replies, his smile shy but genuine. He looks a little awkward, but it's endearing. I like that he's not trying to act cool or confident.