Silent cries for help

SCHOOL canteens bring to mind images of RM1 roti canai with chicken curry on little plastic plates, the shrill screams of my schoolmates, and that one friend scribbling furiously to finish her homework in time.

But one thing that has always stood out for me is that one friend who never ate. Not during recess, nor when snacks were secretly passed around during Mathematics class – not even during a birthday celebration.