I've heard people's thoughts for as long as I can remember.
Not voices—
Not exactly.
It's more like… whispers pressed too close to my brain. Overlapping. Constant. Unfiltered.
This class is so boring…
Did I lock the door this morning?
Why is he staring at me like that?
That last one is usually about me.
I keep my head down.
I've learned to survive like this—blending in, pretending I don't know things I shouldn't. Pretending I don't hear the truth behind every smile, every lie, every "I'm fine."
Because nobody is ever really fine.
The classroom buzzed with noise—both real and not.
Mr. Dada was explaining something about chemical reactions, chalk scraping against the board.
Half of them won't pass this exam anyway…
I almost smiled.
Behind me, Tolu tapped her pen repeatedly against the desk.
Should I text him? No, I'll look desperate… but what if he's with someone else?
To my left, Kunle stretched lazily.
I didn't even study. I'm finished.
Same.
I rested my chin on my palm, eyes half-lidded, pretending to listen. The trick is to look just engaged enough so no one questions you.
It's exhausting.
Hearing everything.
Knowing everything.
Then—
Buzz.
My phone vibrated softly inside my pocket.
I froze.
Phones weren't allowed during class.
Who's texting now? Mr. Dada thought, briefly glancing around without turning.
I swallowed and slowly slid my hand into my pocket, shielding the screen under the desk.
One new message.
Unknown number.
I frowned.
Nobody texts me from unknown numbers.
For a second, I considered ignoring it.
Then I opened it.
> Unknown: Don't react. Just read
My heartbeat skipped.
Spam?
Another message came immediately.
> Unknown: You're in chemistry class right now. Third row. Left side.
My fingers tightened around the phone.
Slowly, carefully, I looked up.
Everything was the same.
Same classroom. Same bored students. Same teacher.
But something wasn't right anymore.
> Unknown: The teacher is about to call on you.
My breath hitched.
"Noah."
I flinched.
Mr. Dada turned, chalk still in hand, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Since you look so relaxed, why don't you tell us the answer to number three?"
A few students snickered.
My mind went blank.
He wasn't even paying attention, someone thought.
This will be funny, another added.
I stared at the board, heart pounding.
How…?
"Uh…" I forced my voice steady. "It's… an exothermic reaction."
A pause.
Mr. Dada raised an eyebrow.
Then nodded.
"Correct."
Murmurs spread across the class.
Lucky guess.
No way he knew that.
But I wasn't listening anymore.
My hands were shaking.
Slowly, I looked back down at my phone.
> Unknown: I told you not to react.
A chill crawled down my spine.
> Me: Who is this?
The reply came instantly.
> Unknown: I'm you.
I stared at the screen.
My first thought?
This is a joke.
> Me: Not funny.
A few seconds passed.
Then—
> Unknown: Ten years from now.
And if you don't listen to me… everything is going to fall apart.
My chest tightened.
This is stupid.
It had to be.
Some kind of prank. Someone messing with me.
Maybe Tolu? Maybe Kunle?
But no…
I would have heard it.
I hear everything.
> Me: Prove it.
For the first time, there was a delay.
Five seconds.
Ten.
Then—
> Unknown: You can hear people's thoughts.
You've had that ability since you were a child.
You pretend you don't, because you're afraid of what will happen if people find out.
My breath caught.
The classroom noise faded.
The whispers—
Gone.
No.
Not gone.
I just couldn't focus on them anymore.
> Unknown: You're not crazy.
But you're also not safe.
My fingers hovered over the screen.
This wasn't possible.
Nobody knew.
Nobody was supposed to know.
> Me: If you're really me… then tell me something I don't know.
The reply came slower this time.
Like whoever was typing… was thinking carefully.
> Unknown: Tomorrow.
4:15 PM.
Don't go home immediately.
My eyes narrowed.
> Unknown: If you do… you'll regret it for the rest of your life.
A cold weight settled in my stomach.
"Hey."
I jerked.
A voice—real this time.
Not in my head.
I turned.
A girl stood beside my desk, holding a stack of books. I hadn't even noticed her approach.
New face.
New student.
Just drop the books and leave, her thoughts should have said.
But—
Nothing.
I frowned.
That wasn't right.
I should hear something.
Anything.
"Can you move?" she asked, nodding at my bag blocking the aisle.
Her voice was calm. Neutral.
Too neutral.
I stared at her.
Still nothing.
No thoughts.
No whispers.
No noise.
For the first time in my life…
I heard silence.
My heart started pounding again.
Louder this time.
Faster.
> Unknown: It's starting
My phone buzzed.
My eyes snapped back to the screen.
> Unknown: Listen carefully.
A pause.
Then—
Unknown: Stay away from him.
My breath hitched.
Slowly…
I looked back up at the new student.
"Thanks," she said as I moved my bag.
She walked past me without another word.
Still nothing.
Still silence.
> Unknown: If you don't…
you're going to die.
I stared at the message.
Then at the empty space where the new student had disappeared.
My chest tightened.
My mind raced.
And for the first time in years—
I didn't know what to believe.
Because the one person I couldn't hear…
Might be the one who ends me.