Unfaded love

The first thing Anna learned about school was that people noticed you for the wrong reasons. If your shoes were new, they noticed. If your uniform was untidy, they noticed. If you answered a question incorrectly, they remembered. But if you were quiet, struggling, or hurting, most people simply walked past. Anna had become very good at being invisible. She sat near the window in the third row, her notebook open and her handwriting neat. The mathematics teacher was writing equations across the board, but Anna's attention kept drifting toward the courtyard outside. Students were laughing beneath the mango tree. Two girls were sharing a snack. A group of boys were kicking a football across the dusty field. Everyone seemed to belong somewhere. Anna lowered her eyes to her notebook. She was fourteen, and she had already learned that being noticed could sometimes be worse than being ignored. “Anna.” She looked up. Her teacher was staring at her. “Yes, ma.” “What is the answer?” Anna glanced at the equation on the board. Her heart tightened. She knew it. She had solved something similar the night before. But thirty pairs of eyes were suddenly looking at her. “Twenty-four,” she answered quietly. The teacher nodded. “Correct. Next time, don't be afraid to speak.” Anna nodded. She lowered herself into her seat. From behind her came a soft laugh. She knew that laugh. Vanessa. --- At lunch break, Anna carried her food toward the far side of the compound. She had barely taken three steps when someone stepped in front of her. “Where are you going?” Anna stopped. Vanessa stood there with two of her friends. “I'm going to sit over there.” Vanessa looked at the empty bench. “Why?” Anna frowned. “Because I want to.” One of Vanessa's friends laughed. Vanessa folded her arms. “You always sit alone.” Anna said nothing. “So?” “So nothing.” Vanessa looked her up and down. “You really don't know how strange you look, do you?” Anna's fingers tightened around her lunch container. “I don't understand.” “Exactly.” The girls laughed. Anna tried to walk around them. Vanessa moved aside at the last second. Anna reached the bench and sat down. She opened her food and pretended not to hear them whispering behind her. But she heard every word. “She thinks she's better than everyone.” “She barely talks.” “Maybe she has nothing to say.” Anna stared at her food. She wasn't better than anyone. She just didn't know how to defend herself without making things worse. A shadow fell across the table. Anna looked up. Maya stood there, holding her own lunch. “Move.” Anna blinked. “What?” Maya pointed at the space beside her. “Move over.” Anna smiled despite herself. Maya sat down. “You're eating with me.” “But—” “No buts.” Maya opened her lunch. For several seconds, neither girl spoke. Then Maya leaned closer. “Did Vanessa start again?” Anna shrugged. “She was just talking.” Maya rolled her eyes. “She always has something to say.” “Don't worry about her.” “I am worried.” “Why?” “Because you keep pretending it doesn't hurt.” Anna looked down. Maya's voice softened. “You don't have to pretend with me.” Anna didn't answer. She simply pushed a piece of food toward Maya. “Eat.” Maya smiled. “That's my girl.” --- After school, Anna walked home with her bag hanging from one shoulder. The afternoon sun was beginning to fade, and the street was crowded with people returning from work. She passed a group of university students talking loudly near a roadside shop. She looked away quickly. University still seemed like a distant world to her. Sometimes she imagined herself there. A different place. A different version of herself. Someone confident. Someone who could walk into a room without wondering whether people were judging her. Someone who wouldn't care what Vanessa thought. She smiled at the thought. Then she heard a familiar voice behind her. “Anna!” She turned. Daniel was coming toward her. Her older brother had his backpack hanging over one shoulder, and beside him walked a young man she recognized immediately. Evans. Anna's steps slowed. She had seen him many times before. Evans was one of Daniel's closest friends, and he sometimes visited their house after school or on weekends. He was twenty, already in university, and seemed to have a calmness Anna couldn't explain. Whenever Daniel and his friends were around, Evans was usually the quiet one—the person who listened before speaking. Daniel caught up with her. “Why are you walking so fast?” “I wasn't.” “You were.” Anna shrugged. Evans smiled. “Maybe she's trying to escape you.” Daniel placed a hand over his chest. “From her own brother?” Anna laughed. “Exactly.” Daniel shook his head. “Unbelievable.” They continued walking together. Daniel and Evans talked about university while Anna listened. She didn't understand half of what they were discussing, but she liked listening to Evans speak. He never raised his voice. He didn't try to impress anyone. When Daniel complained about an assignment, Evans simply laughed and told him to stop procrastinating. Anna glanced at him. For a moment, she forgot about Vanessa. She forgot about school. She forgot about everything. Then Evans looked toward her. “Anna, how was school today?” She froze. Nobody had asked her that since she left the school gate. “Fine.” “Just fine?” She nodded. “Did you learn anything interesting?” Anna thought for a moment. “Yes.” “What?” “Mathematics.” Evans smiled. “Do you like mathematics?” “Sometimes.” “Good. Keep studying.” Daniel laughed. “Don't encourage her too much. She already studies like she's preparing to run the country.” Anna smiled. Evans looked at her seriously. “There's nothing wrong with that.” The words were simple. But Anna remembered them long after they reached home. --- That evening, Anna sat at her desk with her books spread across the table. Her mother knocked before entering. “You're still studying?” “Yes, Mama.” “Come and eat.” “In a minute.” Her mother looked at the books. “You've been saying that for thirty minutes.” Anna smiled. “I'll come.” Her mother walked toward the door, then stopped. “You know, you don't have to prove anything to anyone.” Anna looked up. “I know.” Her mother smiled. “Do you?” Anna didn't answer. After her mother left, she stared at the mathematics question in front of her. She knew what her mother meant. But knowing something and believing it were different things. --- The next morning, Anna arrived at school earlier than usual. She wanted to finish an assignment before class. The classroom was almost empty. She placed her bag beside her desk and opened her notebook. A few minutes later, voices came from the doorway. Vanessa entered with her friends. Anna kept writing. She hoped they would ignore her. They didn't. Vanessa walked toward Anna's desk. “What's that?” “My assignment.” “Can I see?” Anna closed the notebook. “No.” Vanessa raised an eyebrow. “Why?” “Because it's mine.” Vanessa laughed. Her friends joined her. “Listen to her.” Anna stood up. “I have to finish this.” She reached for her bag. Vanessa stepped in front of her. “You're acting brave today.” Anna looked at her. “I'm not trying to fight you.” “Who said anything about fighting?” Vanessa smiled. “Maybe you should learn something.” “What?” “That people like you don't suddenly become important because you get good grades.” Anna's face burned. She wanted to respond. She couldn't. Vanessa leaned closer. “Some people are born to be noticed.” She pointed at herself. “And some people are born to stay in the background.” Then she walked away. Anna remained standing beside her desk. For a few seconds, the classroom was silent. She slowly sat down. Her eyes filled with tears, but she refused to let them fall. She opened her notebook again. Her handwriting blurred. She wiped her eyes and continued writing. She would not give Vanessa the satisfaction. --- That afternoon, something happened that Anna didn't expect. As she left the school gate, she noticed Daniel standing across the road. He was supposed to pick her up. She smiled and walked toward him. But then she noticed Evans beside him. And this time, Evans wasn't smiling. He was looking directly at her. Anna slowed down. Daniel turned toward Evans. “What?” Evans didn't answer immediately. His eyes remained on Anna. Then he asked quietly, “Daniel… who is that girl who keeps bothering your sister?” Anna stopped walking. Her heart dropped. He had seen something. And for the first time, Anna wondered what Evans knew.