Aisha entered the classroom with her usual soft smile.
Everyone saw her as the cheerful girl who never got angry, never complained, and never looked sad.
To the teachers, she was polite.
To the students, she was friendly.
To the world, she was perfect.
But to me… something always felt off.
While everyone laughed, she smiled quietly—almost like she was trying too hard.
Her eyes didn't shine the way happy people's eyes usually do.
And today, I noticed it more clearly than ever.
During attendance, her hand trembled a little.
When the teacher asked if she was okay, she simply smiled again and said,
"I'm fine, sir."
But I didn't believe her.
At break time, her friends talked loudly, but she sat by the window, looking outside with that same soft smile—
a smile that felt warm…
and yet strangely sad.
That was the moment I realized something:
Aisha's smile wasn't just a smile.
It was a shield.
And she was hiding something behind it.
I didn't know what the secret was.
But I knew one thing—
I was going to find out.