short story

Title: A Girl Who Spoke in Silence

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Introduction

This is the story of a girl named Nayelat—a passionate reader of novels, living in an apartment in Greenwich Village, where red-brick townhouses blend with modern architecture. Just across from her apartment stood a small, cozy bookstore.

Nayelat loved stories, especially the ones where fictional men treated women with love, respect, and dignity. But in the real world, she rarely saw men behaving that way. It broke her heart to realize that the kindness she read about often felt like nothing more than fantasy.

One day, she made a silent promise to herself:

I will change this.

Not just for herself—but for the countless girls who could no longer speak for themselves. Nayelat decided to become a public speaker, determined to be their voice.

But her story didn’t start there.

Nayelat’s parents were divorced. Her mother, Faiqa, had always been an independent woman—even before marriage. She made it clear from the beginning that she would continue working, and no one would stop her from pursuing her career.

Initially, Nayelat’s father, Mahmood, had no objection. But after marriage, everything changed. He no longer wanted his wife to work. He couldn’t bear the thought of her earning more than him or being independent. Their constant arguments eventually led to their separation.

At the time, Nayelat was just seven and a half years old. Her mother raised her alone, taking care of everything by herself. Because of her father’s behavior, Nayelat developed a deep resentment toward men. She grew up believing that all of them were the same—selfish and cruel.

That belief followed her into adulthood, shaping how she saw the world—and herself.

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Beginning

Nayelat’s closest friend was Elaf. They were inseparable—best friends who didn’t need anyone else. Neither of them had boyfriends, nor did they want any. Their happiness came from each other’s company and their shared love of books.

But they hadn’t always been friends.

Elaf was a girl with low confidence, while Nayelat had always been self-assured. They had studied in the same school since childhood, but they weren’t friends from the start.

One day at school, Nayelat noticed a group of students bullying Elaf. Without hesitation, she stepped in, chased the bullies away, and helped Elaf gather her things. Taking her gently by the hand, Nayelat asked,

"Will you be my friend?"

Elaf looked at her for a moment, then turned her gaze downward, staring at a random spot on the ground.

"Are you scared of me too?" Nayelat asked softly.

Elaf slowly shook her head.

"So that means we’re friends now," Nayelat smiled.

This time, Elaf nodded—and for the first time, smiled back at her.

From that day forward, they were inseparable.

Years later, one afternoon, Elaf called Nayelat, her voice trembling with fear. A boy from their university, Zaviyan—known for his arrogance and cruelty toward girls—was shouting at her, mocking her loudly in front of others. His friends stood nearby, laughing and encouraging his behavior.

Other students gathered, trying to stop the scene, but Elaf, frightened and humiliated, ran away. The next day, she came to class but remained silent, refusing to speak to anyone, even Nayelat.

Nayelat hated Zaviyan. Not just for what he did to Elaf, but for what he represented: entitled, powerful boys who believed they could treat women however they wanted, with no consequences.

A day before Elaf’s death, Zaviyan deliberately stood in Nayelat’s way, just to irritate her. Every time she tried to pass, he shifted again, blocking her path like it was a game.

Finally, fed up, Nayelat snapped,

"What’s your problem? Are you blind? Can’t you see I’m trying to get through?"

Zaviyan smirked, arrogant as ever.

"You could’ve taken another way, but of course—you saw a handsome guy like me standing here, and suddenly every other path disappeared, right?"

Nayelat glared at him.

"Handsome guy—my foot."

Without another word, she pushed him aside and walked past, leaving Zaviyan standing there, stunned into silence.

Then, one evening, at a university rooftop party, it happened.

Zaviyan, drunk and angry, accidentally bumped into Elaf. Instead of apologizing, he shoved her aside in frustration. They were near the edge of the rooftop, hidden behind flimsy curtains. The sudden push caused Elaf to lose her balance.

Before anyone could react, she fell.

And just like that, Elaf’s life was over.

Nayelat ran toward her, screaming her name, desperate to save her—but it was too late. Zaviyan stood frozen, his face pale with shock, horror filling his eyes. He tried to speak—maybe an apology, maybe an excuse—but no words came out. Only silence remained.

Standing beside her best friend’s lifeless body, Nayelat made a silent vow:

I will change the way this world treats women.

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The Journey

Three days after Elaf’s death, Nayelat began her mission. She threw herself into learning, practicing speeches, and speaking at small local events. It was exhausting and terrifying, but she refused to give up.

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Five Years Later

Nayelat had become stronger. Slowly, people began to notice her voice. One day, she received an email inviting her to speak at a major seminar in Washington Square Park. This was the opportunity she had been waiting for.

On the night of the seminar, she arrived early. The organizers welcomed her warmly. At 10:30 PM, her name was announced. As she stepped onto the stage, her heart raced, but her expression remained calm. Applause echoed around her.

She began to speak—telling the audience about her life, about Elaf, about the dreams they once shared of a world where men loved women like the heroes in novels.

But the world had disappointed them.

Suddenly, a man in the crowd raised his hand. The microphone was passed to him.

"My name is Zoraib," he said with a smirk. "You know, in some languages, the word wo means enemy. Maybe women really are men’s enemies."

There was an uncomfortable laugh from a few in the audience. The room held its breath.

Nayelat responded, her voice steady and powerful:

"No. Women are not men’s enemies. Yes, it’s true that women are marginalized and disrespected in many parts of life—but that doesn’t make us enemies. Both women and men are victims of broken systems and broken thinking. We need to work together to build a future of mutual respect."

Then she looked directly at Zoraib.

"Tell me something: when you talk about women… are you including your mother? Your sister? Your wife? Your daughter? Or are they different?"

Silence.

For the first time, Zoraib looked uncomfortable. Nervous laughter broke the tension, and then applause filled the space. Nayelat felt stronger than ever before. As the cheering rose, she quietly left the stage.

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Meanwhile… Zaviyan

Back in the city, Zaviyan sat alone in a dark room. It had been three days since Elaf’s death, and guilt consumed him. His eyes were red from crying. He had never meant to kill her, but his anger had destroyed her life—and shattered his own.

Haunted by regret, Zaviyan began to change. He taught himself to control his temper, to be better. He wished he could apologize to Nayelat, but she wouldn’t even look at him. To her, Zaviyan represented everything wrong with the world—the very reason she had decided to raise her voice for all the girls who couldn’t speak for themselves.

Two years after Elaf’s death, Zaviyan finally gathered the courage to approach Nayelat. But when he stood before her, ready to beg for forgiveness, she didn’t even let him speak. With eyes full of pain and fury, she simply said,

"Your apology won’t bring her back," and walked away.

Even then, Zaviyan didn’t lose hope. Deep down, he believed that one day Nayelat might forgive him—not because he deserved it, but because he was truly ashamed of what he had done.

Determined to atone for his sins and become a better human being, Zaviyan dedicated himself to something meaningful. He used his resources to open a self-defense institute for girls—a place where they could learn to protect themselves in a world that often failed them. It wasn’t just charity—it was his punishment, his responsibility, his way of standing on the side he once harmed.

For Zaviyan, it wasn’t about redemption in the world’s eyes. It was about becoming the kind of man Elaf would’ve trusted—the kind of man Nayelat wished existed.

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The Hard Reality

Five years passed. Nayelat became a respected speaker to some—but not to all. Many people, men and women alike, resented her for speaking about women’s dignity. Some openly opposed her. Many others simply ignored her.

Two more years passed. Nayelat had once believed people would rise and support her cause. But that never really happened. She tried everything to change people’s thinking, but changing an entire society is not just hard—it’s nearly impossible.

People around her began telling her:

"Stop trying to change others. Change yourself. The world has always been like this. People don’t care about anyone else’s pain."

At first, she refused to believe it. But over time, the weight of disappointment broke her spirit.

She began to understand that maybe… they were right.

But the people who stood with Nayelat made a decision—they would help her find hope again. They started creating pages on social media, promoting her work, sharing her words, and reminding people of her mission. Slowly, her popularity began to rise once more. People started listening—not just out of curiosity, but with genuine love and respect.

Some men’s mindsets even began to change because of her speeches. Of course, it’s never guaranteed that everyone will agree with you. People don’t change—but their thinking can. And that’s how real revolutions begin—not by changing people, but by changing minds.

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The Final Speech

It was another night. Another speech. Nayelat arrived at the venue, greeted by the manager. Soon, the host called her to the stage. As usual, she began telling her story—but this time, tears filled her eyes.

For the first time, she said aloud:

"When we’re clever, we often focus on changing the world, thinking we have the answers to everything. But with wisdom comes the realization that true change starts within ourselves. If we can change our thoughts, our actions, our character—we become a light to those around us. Real change is built on internal transformation."

The room was silent. Not a single breath. It was as if even the walls were listening.

Then she added softly:

"Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I’m changing myself." — Rumi

The audience exhaled. Some smiled and applauded, proud of her strength. Others sat quietly, uncomfortable with what she was saying. But Nayelat was already gone from the stage.

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After the speech, Nayelat decided to visit Elaf’s grave. When she reached the cemetery, she was surprised to see Zaviyan already there. He had come before her and had placed fresh flowers on Elaf’s grave.

Nayelat stood still, watching him in silence. When Zaviyan noticed her, he slowly stood up. Without saying a single word, he lowered his gaze and quietly walked away.

After he left, Nayelat sat down beside Elaf’s grave. She began speaking to her—telling her how they used to talk for hours about becoming good people, about changing themselves and helping change the mentality of others.

As she spoke, she was smiling. But if you had seen that smile, you would’ve broken down in tears.

Time passed, and while not everyone changed, Nayelat had succeeded in changing the mindset of some people. And sometimes… even a small change is enough to start something bigger.

She returned to her apartment, locked the door, and collapsed onto the floor, crying—not because she gave up, but because she couldn’t fulfill the promise she had made to herself… and to Elaf.

The world hadn’t changed.

But Nayelat had.

And sometimes… that’s the hardest change of all.

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