Amina

First Sight

September 10

There's this new girl at school. Her name's Amina, and... I can't stop thinking about her. I swear, I didn't even notice when she started showing up; it was like she'd been there all along, moving through the hallways as if no one could see her.

But I did.

The first time I actually saw her, it was during lunch. She was alone, sitting at one of those small tables by the window that no one ever uses. Her hair was dark and perfectly straight, draped over her shoulders like a curtain. She had this quiet way of staring out the window, as if the noise of the cafeteria—the laughter, the clanging of trays, the endless buzz of voices—meant nothing to her. I don't think she even noticed it. And there I was, not eating, not talking, just... watching her.

I don't know why I felt the need to write about her. Maybe because it's safer in here. No one reads this except me, and it's easier to put it down on paper than to admit it out loud. There's something about her that's... different. Like, when she walks, her footsteps don't make a sound. I noticed it in the hall the other day. I was behind her, close enough to hear, and there was nothing. No click of heels, no shuffle. Just silence.

It's not like I'm the only one who knows she's there. People have definitely seen her—they just don't seem to look twice. It's like she's some kind of ghost, slipping through the cracks, and no one cares enough to notice. But I do. I notice everything. The way her hands stay perfectly still when she talks, as if she's holding onto some secret. The way she doesn't fidget or glance around. It's like she's always focused on something, even if I can't figure out what that something is.

September 12

She was in my chemistry class today. I didn't even know we shared a class until she walked in and sat down two rows ahead of me. When she opened her notebook, I couldn't help but lean forward a little, trying to catch a glimpse of what she'd written. The page was blank. She just stared at it for the whole period, never writing a single word.

I don't know what it is about her, but it's not normal. There's this... stillness to her, like she's waiting for something, like there's a whole world inside her that no one else can see. It sounds stupid, I know. She's just a girl, right? A new student with dark hair and eyes that never seem to look at anyone. But somehow, I feel like there's more to it.

It's like she's haunting the school. And it's like she's haunting me.

September 13

Okay, I'm starting to sound crazy. This is just a normal high school, with normal people. No one's haunting anyone. But... there's something different about Amina. Today, I saw her in the library during lunch. She was sitting alone again, in a corner this time, flipping through a book that looked like it hadn't been touched in years. I walked past, trying to act like I hadn't noticed her, but I couldn't stop myself from glancing over.

She looked up. Just for a second, her eyes met mine. I swear I felt my whole face go red. But the thing is... she didn't react. No smile, no nod, nothing. She looked through me, almost like I wasn't even there. I'm not sure how to explain it, but it was like she could see something deeper—like she knew what I was thinking, or maybe even who I am. I don't know how that makes sense, but I could feel it.

September 14

I think about her all the time. When I'm in class, when I'm eating, even when I'm just lying in bed staring at the ceiling. I know it sounds like I'm obsessed. I don't want to be, but there's something pulling me in. I keep telling myself she's just a girl. I don't even know her. But somehow, she feels like more than that. It's like she's this... idea. A mystery.

I started keeping track of the times I see her, like it's some kind of pattern I can figure out. Cafeteria, fourth period, library... she always sits alone, and no one ever talks to her. It's like she's surrounded by this invisible wall, and no one can get close. But I want to. I don't know why, but I want to know what's behind that wall, what she's hiding in that silence of hers.

I wonder if anyone else has noticed her, really noticed her, the way I have. I doubt it. They're all busy with their own lives, their friends, their sports, their parties. But me? I notice things. I see people. And Amina... she's something I can't unsee.

September 15

Today, I tried walking behind her, just to see where she goes after school. I know that sounds weird, but I couldn't help it. I kept my distance, far enough that it wouldn't seem like I was following her, just... observing. She left the school building like she always does, slipping out through the back doors where it's quiet. No one really uses that exit, so it's perfect for disappearing unnoticed.

She didn't go home, though. Instead, she walked to the park at the edge of town, the one where people hardly go after dark. She sat down on one of the old benches and just... waited. I don't know what she was waiting for, but she didn't look at her phone, didn't pull out a book—nothing. Just sat there, staring at the trees as if they were talking to her.

I felt a chill run down my spine watching her, like there was something I shouldn't be seeing. But I couldn't look away. It was getting late, the sun was starting to go down, and still she sat there, unmoving. I almost wanted to go up to her, to say something, to finally break the silence between us. But something stopped me. A feeling, maybe. Or maybe it was just... fear.