Echoes of Silence ~ Episode 3
20-09-25 (06:38)
**Episode 3: Partners in Prose
(September 5, 2024)**
Ms. Davison announced a semester-
long project: a collaborative essay
analyzing a chosen novel. Groans
rippled through the classroom. Then
came the pairings. Maya
desperately hoped to be paired
with one of her close friends. She
needed the support. "Carter and
Johnson." Ms. Davison's voice sliced
through the air. Maya's head
snapped up. Ethan Carter? Her
heart hammered against her ribs.
This was a disaster.
She stole a glance at Ethan. He
looked as surprised as she felt. His
gaze met hers, and for a fleeting
moment, she saw something
beneath the confident facade – a
flicker of sadness, vulnerability. She
quickly looked away. This wasn’t
going to work. She couldn’t handle
the added pressure of working with
someone so popular, so seemingly
perfect.
After class, Ethan approached her
tentatively. "So… the essay?" he
said, his voice surprisingly soft.
Maya stammered, "Yeah, of course.
We should probably… meet?" He
nodded. "How about the library,
tomorrow after school?" He smiled,
a genuine smile that crinkled the
corners of his eyes. Maya found
herself mirroring it. "Sounds good,"
she managed to say, her anxiety
momentarily receding. Maybe, just
maybe, this wouldn't be a complete
catastrophe. Maybe, it could even
be something more than just a
school project. Don't forget to leave a Comment 
