Echoes of Silence ~ Episode 1
19-09-25 (15:27)
**Episode 1: Silent Screams (August
28, 2024)**
The fluorescent lights of Northwood
High hummed, a relentless drone
that amplified Maya’s already racing
heart. Summer was officially over.
Senior year loomed. College
applications, AP classes, and the
crushing weight of expectations
pressed down on her. She clutched
her schedule, the crisp paper
crinkling in her sweaty palm. Room
204 – AP English. Ms. Davison’s
class, known for its brutal workload
and even more brutal criticism.
Maya longed to disappear, to melt
into the pastel-colored lockers that
lined the hallway.
A wave of nausea washed over
her as she pictured her parents’
disappointed faces if she didn't get
into a top-tier school. Her older
sister, the Harvard graduate, had
set an impossible standard. Maya
knew she was smart, capable
even, but the constant pressure had
woven a tight knot of anxiety in
her stomach. She just wanted to
breathe.
Suddenly, a burst of laughter
erupted nearby. Ethan Carter, the
school’s golden boy, stood
surrounded by a group of admirers.
His easy smile and effortless charm
radiated confidence, the kind Maya
could only dream of possessing.
Ethan, the star quarterback, the boy
every girl wanted and every guy
wanted to be. He seemed
untouched by the anxieties that
plagued her. Little did anyone know
the darkness he carried within.
Maya sighed and quickened her
pace towards Room 204, and
another year of striving for
unattainable perfection. Don't forget to leave a Comment 
