THE QUIET ACHE

'The quiet ache' follows the journey of Bianca - a cold, withdrawn young girl carrying the weight of a broken past. Growing up in silence , with a mother who left and a father buried in work. She learned early how to hide pain behind indifference. But when life begins to push her towards understanding her emotions , she slowly starts to heal, reconnecting with her father and finding comfort in a unexpected friendship.

It's a story about loneliness, healing, and the small moments that helps us find ourselves again 

    CHAPTER ONE 

  STORY OF MY LIFE 

" I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up all alone. It's not. The worst thing is to end up with people who makes you feel alone "

My name is Bianca, I'm the only child of two people who used to be in love. My parents separated years ago, but the real blow was my mom leaving - running of with another man when I was seven.

Since then, it's been just me and my father. Well ... not really. He's always buried with work, in meetings, in phone calls that never end. I have learned to stop hoping for his attention. 

  We have a maid- young, kind and talkative - but even her warmth can't fill the space my mother left behind. The truth is, I have been surrounded by people...yet I have never felt more alone.

All my life, I have been trying to deal with a gaping hole in my heart - one that never seems to close. I have always wanted what other people seem to have without trying - a complete, happy family.

I wish I could feel what it's like to be held by my mom again. I wish I could come home to the sound of my parents laughing in the kitchen.

I wish ...... my life felt normal. But wishes like these are things I have learned to keep to myself. Over the years, I became cold. Reserved. A little grumpy, even. I didn't mean to - but it's easier to keep people out than to let them in and risk being left behind again.

At school, I have a classmate I sometimes sit with during break. We are not exactly close. She's more of a quiet companion than a friend. We don't talk much , but it's better than eating alone.

 It was during one of these quiet breaks, sitting at the corner of the school courtyard, that I first noticed how lonely I really was. I wasn't the type to engage in conversations or make jokes to fit in. I preferred being unnoticed, a shadow blending in with the noise.

But there she was- Teni. A girl from my class who had always been there, sitting at the same table, eating the same jollof rice. We exchanged the occasional nod, but that was it. 

She looked at me, today, really looked at me, and for the first time, I felt seen. 

" You look....lost in thought". She said. Her voice a little shy but warm. I didn't know how to respond. People didn't usually talk to me. 

I just smiled softly. " I'm fine ".

She raised an eyebrow "you don't look fine". I didn't want to say anything more. But for some reason, today felt different. Maybe was because I was bored of pretending or maybe, just maybe, I wanted someone to care enough to ask.

" It's just ..... everything", I started, but the words felt heavier than I imagined. How could I tell her that my heart was missing a piece?

" I get it", she said, as if reading my mind. " It's tough sometimes".

And then, just like that, the ice began to crack. Teni wasn't pushing me to open up, but she wasn't leaving me in my isolation either. There was something about her presence that made me feel less alone. For the first time in a long while, I want to speak to be heard. 

But I wasn't ready. Not yet. Instead. I just nodded. " Yeah, it really is". And for the rest of the break, we ate in silence. But it wasn't the same kind of silence I was used to. It was ..... comfortable.

  Authors Note

This story is personal to me-  it's about pain, healing, and finding light again. If you ever felt lonely. I hope "the quiet ache" speaks to you 💫