The voice in her head(Meena) "You're going to be late, Lila," her mother called from downstairs. Lila groaned and rolled over in bed, the cold morning light filtering through the blinds. She could hear the ticking of the clock, the distant rumble of a car engine, and the sound of her own ragged breaths. Another day, she thought. Another day to pretend.

Her body felt heavy with the weight of expectations that weren't her own. She pushed herself up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Her feet touched the floor, and the cold seeped through her thin socks, sending a shiver up her spine. The voice in her head was already whispering, "You're useless," as she stumbled to the bathroom to start her morning routine.

In the mirror, her reflection stared back at her, a dull echo of the vibrant girl she used to be. The girl who had dreams of becoming an artist, whose eyes sparkled with the promise of a thousand untold stories. Now, all she saw was a statue, sculpted by the harsh criticisms of the world around her. She felt the urge to smash the mirror, but instead, she just nodded and went through the motions of brushing her teeth and combing her hair.

As she descended the stairs, the aroma of coffee filled the air. Her mother was in the kitchen, bustling around with the morning's chores. The TV played in the background, recounting the latest tragedies. Lila's father sat at the table, buried in the newspaper. Neither looked up as she entered the room. The voice grew louder, "You're useless," it taunted. But she had heard it so many times, it had become a part of the background noise of her life.

At breakfast, the silence was suffocating. Her mother placed a plate of toast and eggs in front of her, and she picked at the food, barely tasting it. The only sounds were the clinking of silverware and the occasional murmur from the TV. It was a scene she knew all too well. The voice grew more insistent, "You're useless," it echoed in her mind. But she had reached a point where she couldn't take it anymore. Something within her had snapped.

With trembling hands, she set down her fork and stood up. The sudden movement made her chair scrape against the floor, and her parents looked up, surprised. "I'm not going to school today," she announced, her voice stronger than she had heard it in years. Her mother's eyes widened in shock, and her father's paper rustled as he folded it down. "What did you say?" he asked, his voice gruff.

"I said, I'm not going," Lila repeated, her chin held high. The voice in her head grew to a roar, "You're useless!" But she was tired of letting it control her. She grabbed her backpack and marched out the door, the cool air hitting her face like a slap.

The schoolyard was a blur of unfamiliar faces and whispers that had always made her feel like an outsider. Today, she didn't care. She walked through the crowded hallways, ignoring the stares and the murmurs. The voice was there, but she had made a decision to push it aside.
The only think she knows now is that she found her voice...

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