Scars Beneath My Smile

Chapter One: The Girl with the Beautiful Smile "Some people wear makeup to hide their flaws. I wore a smile." Everyone loved my smile. Teachers smiled back at me. Neighbors called me a polite girl. My classmates said I always looked happy. They saw the smile. They never saw what came after it. Every night, I would lock my bedroom door, sit on the floor beside my bed, and let the tears fall until I had nothing left to cry. Then I'd wipe my face. Practice my smile in the mirror. And prepare for another day of pretending. People think crying makes you weak. They don't understand. Sometimes pretending you're okay takes far more strength than admitting you're not. That Monday morning felt no different. The sun shone brightly through my bedroom window, but inside me, everything felt dark. "Amirah!" my mum called. "Hurry up! You're going to be late." "I'm coming!" I forced a cheerful voice, grabbed my backpack, and walked downstairs. "You look beautiful," my mother smiled. "Thank you." She didn't notice my swollen eyes. Or maybe... She simply thought I was tired. On the bus to school, students laughed, argued over music, and shared memes on their phones. I watched the world through the window. Everyone seemed to belong somewhere. I wasn't sure I did. As I walked into school, smiles and greetings came from every direction. "Morning, Amirah!" "Hey!" "You're always smiling." I smiled back. Because that's what everyone expected. The first lesson dragged on. I tried to pay attention. I really did. But my thoughts wandered. When the bell finally rang, I stepped into the hallway, hoping to disappear into the crowd. Instead... I accidentally bumped into someone. Books scattered across the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I said quickly, kneeling to pick them up. "So am I," a calm voice replied. When I looked up... A pair of warm brown eyes met mine. He smiled. Not the kind of smile people use to be polite. The kind that makes you feel seen. "My name's Zayd," he said. "I'm Amirah." For a moment, neither of us moved. Then he handed me my notebook. "You smile a lot," he said softly. I laughed awkwardly. "I guess I do." He looked at me for a second longer before saying something no one had ever said to me. "But your eyes don't." My smile disappeared. And for the first time... Someone noticed. End of Chapter One. 🌙