When I cook, I wear large black headphones to entertain myself through possible hours of labor. However, after many comments from my family about how I am always wearing my headphones, I decided to listen to the silence that is not very silent. There is a combined hum of our fridge and water dispenser, along with the swishing of water cleaning dishes in the dishwasher. My mom and brother are chattering downstairs, although I can’t tell whether they are laughing or arguing.
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Ayah Al-Masyabi is a 17-year-old junior living in Colorado. She tackles her creative endeavors through writing, visual art, and, more recently, audio and video. Research, human stories, and the narratives around soccer often influence the pieces she crafts. Ayah has won three Gold Keys, one Silver key, and two honorable mentions for her art and one Gold key for writing in the Scholastic Arts and Writing Contest. Her work has been published on YR Media, YouthComm, and Polyphony Lit. She has won numerous local art contests and was a finalist in the NPR Student Podcast Challenge, having her podcast featured both on NPR and MenInBlazers. Ayah is an avid Liverpool FC, US Soccer, and Colorado Rapids supporter. She can be found curating her bookshelf, having fun with family and friends, or at @ayahalmart on Instagram and ayahalmart.weebly.com. She also has a YouTube channel where she talks about soccer called AyahSoccer.
By Ayah Al-Masyabi
Margery Hannah 
Chelle A. Carter-Wilson