I woke up to the sound of my alarm ringing, I groaned, rubbing my eyes as I sat up, many things were lingering in my mind. My rough poem of the previous day. Evana. The talent show. I had a week to finish it, but something about the morning felt off, but I couldn't quite put a finger on it.
I met Evana at my doorstep waiting for me, as usual. She was leaning against the lamppost, her backpack slung over one shoulder, her hair catching the sunlight in a way that made my chest tighten. She smiled when she saw me, her radiant smile making me free of all my worries.
"Morning, Benji," she teased, falling into step beside me.
Its like repeating the same morning. Her behavior, actions never changed. Deep within me this gave me a sense of calmness every morning.
"Morning," I replied, my voice still rough with sleep. We walked in comfortable silence, the kind that only exists between people who know each other too well. I wanted to tell her about the poem, about how I was struggling to find the right words, but I didn't. Instead, I listened to her talk about her latest art project, her voice painting pictures in my mind.
When we arrived at college, the day unfolded like any other. Classes came and went, the monotony broken only by Evana's laughter during lunch and the occasional shared glance across the room. But then, during the last period, Mr. Thompson, the drama teacher, made an announcement that sent a jolt through my system.
"Attention, everyone," Mr. Thompson said, clapping his hands to silence the room. "I've just been informed that the talent show has been moved up. Instead of next week, it's now in two days. So, if you're participating, make sure you're ready."
My stomach dropped. Two days. I had two days to finish the poem. I glanced at Evana, who was sitting a few seats away, she also looked at me, her brow frowned in concern seeing me in a nervous state.
The moment the final bell rang, she came up to me,
"Is everything alright with you, Benji?
"Yea.. I am fine, why do you ask?"
"I don't think so, you look a bit
nervous to me"
"Ohh, its nothing. My head is just hurting a bit due to this scorching Heat. I will be fine once I get home and sleep for a while.
" Are you sure?"
"Umm...Yes. I will have to hurry now or it will get worse. Bye Evana"
"Let me walk you hom-
I was out of my seat, my mind racing. I barely registered Evana calling after me as I bolted out of the classroom and toward the exit. I needed to get home. I needed to write.
---
I sat at my desk, my notebook open in front of me, a pen clutched tightly in my hand. I discarded my rough poem and was onto something new.The words weren't coming. I stared at the blank page, my mind a whirlwind of frustration and panic.
What if I couldn't do it? What if the poem wasn't good enough? What if Evana hated it?
Suddenly my phone buzzed. Pulling me away from my thoughts. It was a message from Evana. I completely forgot about how I left from college without talking to Evana properly. I opened her msg:
*Benji. Is everything alright? You know you can talk to me right?*
She was concerned. Not sure what to reply. I just closed my eyes for a while, my phone on my hand. I was thinking, typing and deleting the messages that I typed at the same time. The was another message from her,
*Benji, hello?*
Without a thought I quickly replied,
*I am sorry Evana, I shouldn't have left you like that. My headache was getting worse so I couldn't think clearly. I just need some rest, thats all*
I lied again.
*Its okay, Benji, no worries* she replied.
Thank god. She understood or maybe she was hurt. She was definitely hurt. I decided to talk to her later. I will focus on one thing at a time
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to focus. I thought about Evana—about the way she laughed, the way her eyes lit up when she talked about something she loved, the way she made me feel like I was worth something. And then, slowly, the words began to flow. I began to write
---
**The Poem: What if?**
*What if I never spoke?*
*What if I stayed silent, my words unbroken,
I continued writing along these lines.
And finally, I was done.