She looked at them from the stage she was standing on, the faces of people she had known for years. The faces of people she never talked to in her entire life. From the sidelines she had watched her classmate go on the stage and perform their piece and now it was her turn.

The turn of the girl who doesn't talk.

"Emily Shuon!"

Looking up from her writing Emily took a strand of her auburn hair behind her ear as she looked at one of the three judges. She gave her quizzical nod at her aging professor.

"You have to speak."

She heard snickers around her. She already knew what they were thinking, the girl who never failed was going to do just that because she wouldn't speak. Bowing her head she took out a pencil and wrote two simple words.

'Fail me.'

With that she ran away, many followed her. They were tired of watching such a brilliant girl not talk, to them it was a disgrace and a disappointment. Her parents lead the way there faces red from anger. Emily's hazel eyes searched for the room she liked to be in. They landed on a wooden door which lead to a room that was no longer in use it had been abandoned as far as she could remember.

Taking a deep breath she made a dash for the door and locked it behind her. The room was a music room, it was small compared to the one they actually used for classes. She took her phone from her pocket and scrolled through her contacts until it landed on a certain group chat, smiling she video called them. The first face that appeared was a boy with black hair and dark skin like her own and blue eyes, two more people appeared. They were twins, same blonde hair, green eyes and pale complexion. They smiled at her as the one on the right finished tying her hair.

"Emily! How are you girl?" Lila, the twin with the ponytail, looked at her, "Wait, this is the time you are supposed to present to everyone on a stage! Go and do that!"

Emily shook her head. "I can't." The ones behind the door were wide eyed and the parents went for the door but the shake of the head of various told them against it. "I don't like to speak and they won't let me play."

"Have you asked?" The boy, Luis asked.

"Through paper."

"Why do you only speak with us?" Lily, Lila's twin said. "You used to be so talkative, what happened?"

What did happen? Emily bowed her head and she opened her mouth to speak but thought better of it, instead she sat down on the old piano that was in the room and placed her phone carefully on top of it so she could still see her friends' faces. Cracking her knuckles she delicately placed her fingers on the key.

"I can't explain through words, let me explain through music." She muttered, pressing the first key.

The room became silent as her long fingers pressed every key with grace. The sound stayed low and in between as the piano hummed with life, a life of a sad song played by a girl who was afraid to speak. Her voice was never heard except by her friends. In truth she never knew why she didn't like to speak, maybe she was shy, maybe she was afraid of her own words or she just didn't like it. Either way, her voice was never heard she only talked through paper and pencil as she expressed words through paper and stories.

That was when she stopped speaking.

But music became her voice.

With every thought of why she didn't speak, Emily quickened her pace on the keys as they became happy and louder. It was filled with laughter, smiles and tears. This was the time she had her best friends with her all the time, the only people she talked to. Luis, Lila and Lily had tears in their eyes, they knew this piece, she created and played it for them on the day each of them left the country to another.

The people outside were trying their best not to cry afraid that if Emily heard she would stop and the lovely story would come to an end.

Emily stopped playing and her face became angry and her hands went to the different sides of the piano, high and low in an angry harmony. The part of her story filled with anger at everyone and everything. Anger at her parents, anger at her friends, anger at her classmates, anger at her teachers and anger at herself for not speaking. Angry for not having the courage to do so, angry for feeling weak, angry that she needs paper and pencil to communicate. She wasn't deaf. She wasn't mute.

But to her at that dark time she might as well had been.

Teardrops fell on the keys as she played the last part, the part she could never finish. The saddest tune of her life, with ease and grace she played a heartbreaking tune. It was the part of her life song she wanted to play for her assignment. The part that would tell them who she was, that was the assignment. Coming to the stage and give a speech saying who you are. She asked if she could play it instead, she was denied on the spot.

They want to hear my story... fine! Let them hear it.

She glared at the people behind the door through a mirror that was conveniently placed in front of her. Her gaze showed them everything and her music told it, it was a beautiful and heartbreaking harmony. It was filled with the need to fit in, the need to be understood, the want to speak but what she wanted and needed the most was to be heard. This was the story of a girl who lost her voice, metaphorically, the story of a girl who found her voice once more through music. The story of a girl who was disgraced for not talking.

This was the story of Emily Shuon.

The most powerful story they would ever hear.

And it came from unspoken words.

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This is my entry for bluedrop77's contest! If you are interested in it go ahead and check it out!