Chapter 4 Quiet Power, Louder Echoes

By the third week of the new term, it was no longer just a Primary 4 thing.

Faith's name had started to echo in corridors she hadn't even walked through.

Teachers from other classes came to "borrow" her for reading aloud during English lessons.

Some of the seniors at break would point and whisper,

"That's the new girl that beat Pearl in Maths, right?"

But Faith never changed.

She still wore the same simple puffs.

Still folded her socks right above her ankle.

Still cleaned her desk every morning with a tissue from home.

She didn't seek attention but attention found her anyway.

Meanwhile, in 4C, two faces began to tighten.

Amara and Janet.

They used to be among the "noticed girls." Always loud during assembly, always quick to speak.

But lately, even their jokes weren't landing like before.

"It's like the whole school is forgetting we exist," Janet muttered during dictation.

"Because one new girl came with her 'perfect' self."

Amara rolled her eyes.

"Watch. She'll soon show her true color. All this forming quiet is fake."

Faith, of course, had no idea.

Or maybe she did but she chose not to feed the noise.

One breezy Thursday, something happened.

After Computer class, the school's brand-new mouse one of the only working ones went missing.

Everyone was asked to stay back while the teacher searched bags.

Nobody moved.

Then Janet raised her hand.

"I'm not sure, but I saw someone around that table when the mouse was still there."

The teacher narrowed his eyes.

"Who?"

A slow finger pointed at Faith.

The class buzzed.

Faith blinked once, then stood up quietly.

"You can check my bag, sir."

They did.

No mouse.

She opened her locker.

Still nothing.

The teacher paused, confused. Then a soft voice from the back of the class said:

"Sir, please... I saw Janet put something in her hoodie during class."

All eyes turned.

And there it was.

Tucked into the inner pocket of her pink sweater the mouse.

The room went silent.

The teacher didn't shout. He just collected the item, wrote a quick report, and dismissed them.

Faith picked up her bag calmly and walked out.

No tears. No outburst.

But that day, something shifted.

Even the doubters saw it now her peace wasn't weakness.

It was power.

Later that week, Pearl approached her during break.

"You didn't even react," she said, sitting beside Faith near the mango tree.

Faith smiled.

"Because I didn't do anything."

Pearl nodded slowly.

"You're stronger than you look."

Faith raised a brow.

"I thought we were competing."

Pearl grinned.

"We are. But I'm not competing with someone who's scared to shine. I like this kind of race."

They bumped shoulders, both laughing.

From that day on, it was no longer just a friendly rivalry.

It was a quiet alliance.

And the class knew as long as Faith and Pearl sat in the front row, there would be no room for laziness.

Because their brilliance was no longer just personal

It was contagious.