Not So Silent explores relatable teenage lives, highlighting academic burden, social expectations, and the constant struggle to fit in. This coming-of-age romance webtoon follows the story of an overachieving student, Lewis, and the new deaf student at school, Fern. Raising its voice about the accessibility of education for disabled students and inclusivity, the webtoon desires to positively impact its readers. Previously in Not So Silent, Lewis begins his first day of school with a jam-packed schedule, with no time for his friends. He volunteers to give the new kid, Fern, a tour of the school. Let’s see what happens with Fern and Lewis in Not So Silent Chapter 11-20!
Not So Silent Chapter 11: Fern Leaves Class
Not So Silent Chapter 11 begins as Fern is introduced to his new personal interpreter. Being deaf, he’d requested a notetaker to help him with his classes. However, the school, going above and beyond, hired Mr. Burns. As his teacher explains the situation, she abruptly stops to let her words be translated for Fern (who was lip-reading just fine!).
Fern signs, “Tell her that I can lip-read, and that she can stop acting like I’m not present in the conversation.” Omitting nearly everything, the interpreter anxiously says to her, “H-He’s just mentioning lip-reading!” Aggravated, Fern signs, “Buddy, if you aren’t gonan translate exactly what I sign, don’t bother translating at all.” Nervously, Mr. Burns leans in, explains that he’s just an undergraduate student looking for extra credit. (Pretty much a rookie!)
As class begins, the interpreter starts translating the teacher’s words. Fern feels everyone’s eyes on him, weighing him down with the judgment they hold. He begins to feel more and more claustrophobic and walks out of the class for the second time.
Lewis Can’t Take It
Not So Silent Chapter 11 shifts to Lewis sitting by himself, trying to finish off his work. Atlas and Silas pop up next to him, enthusiastically mentioning the ‘party’. Understanding that she’d already told them, Lewis realizes that it’s too late to back out. “Uh, yeah! We can party at my house in about two weeks…” he says, hesitantly. Although Silas immediately jumps at the idea, Atlas worriedly asks him if he’s sure. “But you promise you’ll tell us if something is too much, right?” he asks. Lewis tries to smile and promises. He tries to focus on his work, but can’t shake off how “Everyone is too close…” and abruptly runs out of the room. He tells himself to just walk and clear his head. Not So Silent Chapter 11 concludes as he walks right into Fern.
Chapter 12: “You Get It”
Not So Silent Chapter 12 begins as Lewis and Fern apologize to each other for the collision in the hallway. They end up sitting down on a bench as Fern explains his personal interpreter situation. Then he asks Lewis for his reason- why wasn’t he in class? “L-Like I said! The classroom just got too stuffy!” he says evasively. “I get it. My experience is very different, but sometimes in classrooms it feels like the walls are closing in,” Fern empathizes. “Yes! Exactly! You get it!” Lewis says loudly.
Fern asks him if he wants to hang out after school, and Lewis invites him to help him practice ASL with Phil later. “Oh. I see. You want my help, too, huh? My skillful eye?” he signs, mischievously. Grinning, Lewis ruffles his hair and Fern ruffles his right back. As they walk back to class, Lewis says, “You can wipe that smirk off your face. Your hair is just as messed up as mine.” “Don’t pick fights you can’t win,” Lewis signs, sticking his tongue out.
Not So Silent Chapter 12 concludes as Fern’s phone buzzes with Sofia’s text saying that he’d have to pick her up after school. ‘Oh, fantastic. Looks like Lewis and Phil will be meeting Sofia,’ he thinks.
Not So Silent Chapter 13: Sofia Meets Lewis
Not So Silent Chapter 13 begins as Phil meets Lewis for his ASL lesson and presents him with a detailed essay of mistakes he’d be prone to making. “Is my signing really that bad??” he exclaims, shocked at the length. “Man, when Fern stops by soon, I feel like I need to apologize,” he says. Phil immediately lights up and raising her eyebrows, she says “Ohohoho- Fern is stopping by, huh?” Lewis tries to explain and, in the end, gives in to her expression. “Stop smirking!” he yells, frustrated.
Just then, Fern stops by and introduces his sister to the duo. Sofia immediately recognizes Lewis from his social media page and says just as much out loud. “Is he the guy from the social media profile you were spending hours going through the other day?”
Everyone is quiet for a second. Fern begins signing furiously, ‘Are you trying to make me look like a stalker?’ They begin rapidly signing at each other in a heated argument. Lewis tries to keep up with them and wills himself to concentrate. Fern tells them that he has to go, and Sofia, once again, embarrasses him by stating that they aren’t in a hurry at all. ‘Please shut up,’ he thinks as he drags his cheerfully waving sister away.
The second they leave, Lewis asks Phil for as many tips as possible to help him learn to be fast at ASL. She wisely tells him, the best way to learn a language is by using it often. Not So Silent Chapter 13 concludes as both of them lie on the grass, side by side, while Phil says, “So… keep talking to him.”
Chapter 14: Lewis Throws a Party…for the Whole School
Not So Silent Chapter 14 begins with another student council meeting, which discusses the homecoming preparations. Lewis states that the theme planning was really coming together, and they should get it all done if everyone pitches in. He adds that if they aren’t able to finish everything on time, he’ll work extra hours to finish it. The other students call him unbelievable for doing so much work with an already loaded schedule. “I guess I like staying busy,” he says, somewhat nervously.
Suddenly, a girl barges into their meeting. Excitedly, she thanks him for inviting her to his house party. Lewis, confused, asks her where she got this information. “Huh? The posters around the school!” she replies. Alarmed, he immediately dashes out the door.
Lewis Sees the Posters
Outside, in the hall, Lewis pulls a poster off a wall. In big, bold letters, the flyer advertises his house party. “Who put these up?” he says, in horror. Behind him, Atlas replies that she thinks it might have been London. She tells him not to worry and that they’ll fix it. Remembering the enthusiasm of the girl who barged into the council meeting, he says, “No, no, it’s fine.” Atlas insists that London was guilty if she didn’t inform him beforehand. “I know, but people know about it already. They seem really excited, and I don’t want to disappoint,” Lewis says. Concerned, Atlas tells him to be careful, “You can’t appease everyone.”
Meanwhile, Fern sees the posters and watches Lewis and Atlas talking in the corridor. ‘Something isn’t right here…’ he thinks. Later at home, Lewis lies on his bed, trying to frame a message to London. He writes, deletes, and repeats until he gets overwhelmed. ‘I don’t know how to say these kinds of things,’ he thinks, defeatedly, ‘I don’t even know if there’s anyone out there who would understand.’ Not So Silent Chapter 14 concludes as Lewis’ phone lights up with a message from Fern.
Not So Silent Chapter 15: London Makes It Worse
Not So Silent Chapter 15 begins as Fern, sensing something’s wrong, texts Lewis, saying that he’d seen the posters around school. ‘You don’t have to lie to me… You know that, right?’ he messages. A tear escapes Lewis’s eye when he sees it. ‘I’m only saying it because I’ve been there, Lewis.’ Fern texts. He explains how he’d always tried to please the people who couldn’t communicate with him. Lewis asks him if he could come to his party. Fern declines, stating that house parties aren’t his style. But to make up for it, he gives him his address and tells him to come over whenever he needs anything.
Two weeks later, loud music booms from Lewis’ house. As people party inside, he sits on his front steps alone, feeling overwhelmed and stressed. London appears, hugs him, and asks him what he thinks of the party. When Lewis doesn’t reply, she begins wondering if she went too far. ‘I’m scared to lose him… I’m not sure what to do. He’s the closest thing I have to a best friend’ she thinks in a panic.
She takes a deep breath and playfully nudges Lewis, “Have you heard? I mean, what have people been saying about us?” She tells him of the rumour that they’re dating, and terms it ‘pretty flattering’ that they’re considered the ‘it couple’ of the class. “But, in all honesty… it has me thinking. Why don’t we just date?” she says. Not So Silent Chapter 15 concludes as Lewis begins tearing up, making London realize she messed up.
Chapter 16: Lewis Finally Confronts London
Not So Silent Chapter 16 begins as Lewis finally confronts London about her mistakes. Crying, he says, “First, y-you… invite everyone over to my house without asking me… and now, you want t-to date? Just because of your own image and what people are saying about us?” London tries to take it back, saying she didn’t mean any of it. Hurt, Lewis tells her that he isn’t sure they can be friends anymore. As he walks away, he tells London to leave him alone. He walks to his car and sits behind the wheel with his head in his arms. He starts regretting everything he said to London and thinks maybe he should’ve just agreed with her. Unbidden, he abruptly thinks of Fern instead.
Meanwhile, Fern stands on his driveway, illuminated by the light from his garage. He practices ballet, picturing the stage, lights, and costume clearly in his mind. Not So Silent Chapter 16 concludes as Lewis awkwardly stands in front of him, saying ‘Hey…”
Not So Silent Chapter 17: Lewis Has A Panic Attack
Not So Silent Chapter 17 begins as Fern asks Lewis if he’s okay. “Uh… yeah! I just wanted to… stop by? You’re doing parkour again, huh?” he says.
Fern watches Lewis closely as he begins to obsessively twirl his hair. He begins regretting his decision to come to Fern’s house. He thinks about London, his insecurity of not being good enough, his distant sister, and the pressure from his mother until it all melts into one giant word repeating itself over and over again. ‘LEWIS’ written in bold red letters, repeatedly echoes in his mind.
‘He’s having a panic attack.’ Fern realizes, suddenly. He grabs Lewis by the shoulders and asks him to take deep breaths. He holds out his hand, and Lewis takes it. One step at a time, their feet fall into rhythm as Fern leads them in a brief slow dance.
After Lewis calms down, they sit on the driveway. Fern explains his panic attack to him, saying that it probably won’t be the last. He tells him, “I’ve had at least a hundred panic attacks in my life, and I probably have a hundred more waiting.” Not So Silent Chapter 17 concludes as Lewis asks him if he can tell him more, and Fern replies, “I sure can.”
Chapter 18: Fern’s Story
Not So Silent Chapter 18 begins as Fern explains his story. Growing up, he wasn’t like the others. His hair was wild, he was taller than most of his classmates, and he was almost always alone. Termed “the deaf kid”, he was bullied for his disability. They made fun of his voice, tripped him in the hallways, and laughed at him every single day. As a kid, he’d felt extremely angry and wanted to humiliate the mean kids. However, after the birth of his sister, he aspired to become a role model for her instead.
Instead of being ashamed of his unruly hair, he made it louder and bolder by dyeing it blue. Instead of expressing himself through his voice, he began to dance. And in the process, he’d become the advocate his younger self needed. “Dancing! That’s what you’ve been doing,” Lewis says, finally understanding. Lewis begins to admire him for his character even more.
As they joke around, Lewis’ phone buzzes with a text from London. He tells Fern how she invited the whole school to his house and tells him about their fallout. Not So Silent Chapter 18 concludes as Lewis realizes he’d left his house filled with a bunch of random people.
Not So Silent Chapter 19: Lewis Rushes Home
Not So Silent Chapter 19 begins as Lewis gets up to leave, and Fern grabs his hand to stop him. ‘I’m coming with you,’ he says stubbornly. He asks him how far his house is, and when Lewis replies with ten minutes, Fern says he can get him there in five. Wasting no time, Lewis tosses him the car key, and Fern puts the pedal to the metal. They reach his house in record time to find a completely trashed yard. Toilet paper strings the entire house, from the roof to the car in the driveway. Before Lewis can panic again, Fern grips his hand and nods to him. When they get inside, Fern signs ‘Jesus, even I can hear the music a bit! It’s making my head buzz!’
In a futile attempt, Lewis tries to yell at everyone over the commotion. Fern glances around, and a couple of steel pans catch his attention. ‘That should work,’ he thinks, and grabs them. Not So Silent Chapter 19 concludes as Fern clangs the utensils together, resulting in dead silence among all the partygoers.
Chapter 20: Lewis and Fern Shut the Party Down
Not So Silent Chapter 20 concludes as Lewis seizes the silence to shout at everyone, “This party is over! Everybody out!” Disappointed, everyone begins to murmur, calling Lewis a ‘buzzkill’, ‘goodie two shoes’, and ‘teacher’s pet’. “I bet he’s going to do homework after this,” someone laughs. Fern crosses his arms and intimidatingly stares at them. As they begin to leave the party, Atlas finds Lewis and asks him what happened. Overwhelmed, he asks her for help first, and she willingly agrees.
The three of them huddle up as Lewis tells them to search every nook and cranny of the house to get everyone out. As they split up, Fern finds a couple in a small room. “I can’t wait until we get married, we’re totally soulmates,” the girl says, with her arms around her boyfriend. Fern rolls his eyes and clangs his pans to signal them to leave. He stares them down, and they eventually give in and get out.
Finally, Lewis and Atlas stare at the empty house. “What a mess,” she says. She tells him that she’ll talk to London, but Lewis tells her to go easy on her. “I got pretty upset with her earlier,” he explains. Shocked, Atlas sighs and tells him that, at times, he’s a little too nice. She offers to help him clean up the mess, but he insists that he needs to be alone. Not So Silent Chapter 20 concludes as, after Lewis watches Atlas leave the doorway, Fern pops up beside him.
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