That morning, Anna noticed something unusual.
Sophia's seat was empty.
"She's absent today," Emily said while taking out her books. "She messaged me. She has a fever."
Anna nodded. The classroom felt a little quieter without her.
That day, there was a surprise History test.
Anna was sitting on the 4th desk near the window. Emily was seated on the last bench in another row. Oliver was sitting in the middle row with the boys.
Before the test, there was a free period.
The classroom was noisy at first, but slowly everyone started revising.
Emily, for once, was learning silently, flipping through her notebook seriously.
Anna smiled a little. Even Emily is serious today, she thought.
Oliver was also revising. He looked focused, reading the important dates carefully.
For a moment, his eyes met Anna's.
"Ready?" he mouthed quietly.
Anna nodded.
The test papers were distributed soon after.
The classroom became completely silent. Only the sound of pens moving on paper could be heard.
Anna wrote confidently. History was her favorite subject.
After finishing early, she looked up for a second.
Oliver was still writing, thinking hard about something.
For the first time, Anna didn't feel nervous.
She felt calm.
Not because of the test.
But because even without Sophia beside her, even with Emily sitting far away, she felt… connected.
It was strange.
A normal school day.
A simple History test.
But sometimes, even silence can make feelings grow stronger. 💕