chapter 7- Echoes of doubt

The following weeks were a blur. My mother's cold shoulder became a constant, and the atmosphere at home was suffocating. I could feel the weight of her disappointment hanging over me, and the silence between us grew louder by the day.

But despite everything, I couldn't stop singing. I couldn't stop creating. Every moment I spent in my room, recording and perfecting my voice, felt like I was getting closer to something bigger, something real.

But there was still the question lingering in my mind: What if this dream was just a fantasy? What if all of this was for nothing?

One night, as I scrolled through the online forum, I saw a message from Echo that stopped me in my tracks.

"There's something special about your voice, Amara. You don't have to prove it to anyone but yourself. Keep going. Don't let the world silence you."

His words were a lifeline. I stared at the screen, the doubt slowly melting away, replaced by a surge of determination. Echo had never met me in person, but somehow, his belief in me was enough to make me believe in myself again.

I decided to take a leap. I was going to post a recording online, for everyone to hear. No more hiding. No more doubting. It was time to put my music out there for the world to judge, even if it meant risking more rejection.

The next morning, I recorded a song I had written, one that had been in my heart for weeks. The lyrics spoke of longing, freedom, and defiance—themes that mirrored my own struggles.

When I finally hit "post," my hands shook. I stared at the screen, waiting for the inevitable flood of comments. Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe I wasn't ready. But there was no turning back now.