Holding Back

"The bravest words aren’t the ones you say—they’re the ones you leave unsaid, trusting the silence to speak louder."

Mrs. Marks handed back the assignments. As she moved through the rows, I kept my eyes down, unsure of what to expect. My stomach tightened when she reached my desk. She placed my paper facedown with a deliberate, quiet precision, like she knew what was coming next would hit harder than any red ink ever could.

After class, I stayed behind, waiting for the…