When Hearts Whispers – Episodes
- Episode 1: The Girl by the Lake
- Episode 2: The Secret in her Sketchbook
- Episode 3: The Letter in the Pocket that Changed Everything
- Episode 4: A Butterfly in the Wind
- Episode 5: Rain Over Nyamugari
- Episode 6: The Number That Changed Everything
- Episode 7: Truth at Huye Bus Park
- Episode 8: Jealousy, Trust & a Kigali Art Cliffhanger
- Episode 9: Trust on Trial under Kigali's Moonlight
- Episode 10: The Journey to Kigali
- Episode 11: The Old Cinema Secret
Episode Summary
The morning after the stormy night
at the old cinema, Kevin and Aline must face a new challenge. Kigali is hosting
a big art review where Aline’s drawings will be shown to judges, artists, and
sponsors. But danger is near. Whispers of jealousy and fear surround them. Will
love and trust guide them through this test?
Deep Dive into Emotions
The sun rose over the green Kigali hills. From the hostel window, Kevin saw boda-boda drivers already shouting “Nyabugogo! Remera!” while children laughed on their way to school.
But his heart was heavy. Aline sat
quietly on the bed, holding her sketchbook as if it was her shield.
“Kevin,” she whispered, “today I
must stand in front of people I don’t know. They will look at my art. Some may
smile, but others may hate me. What if I fail?”
Kevin touched her hands gently.
“Aline, when I see your drawings, I see Rwanda’s soul. I see Nyamagabe hills,
Lake Muhazi, even the rain that falls in Nyamugari. If I can see all that, the
world will see it too. Do not fear.”
She smiled softly. “Your words give
me courage. But still, my heart shakes.”
Uncle
Patrice’s Warning
At breakfast, Uncle Patrice was
serious. His voice carried weight like a village elder.
“My children,” he said, “remember
this: in Rwanda, when a girl shines, people talk. Some say ‘Komereza aho’
(keep going), others say ‘Reka yicare hasi’ (let her sit down). Today,
some will clap for you, but some may also try to pull you down. Walk with eyes
open.”
Aline held his hand. “Uncle, I only
want peace. Please, pray for me.”
Patrice closed his eyes and murmured
a prayer in Kinyarwanda: “Mana turinde, utuyobore mu kuri.” (God,
protect us and lead us in truth.)
They walked hand in hand through Nyamirambo. The streets were alive—smell of brochettes on charcoal, sound of radios playing Afrobeat, children chasing a ball.
Kevin teased, “You look like a
flower in that blue dress.”
Aline giggled. “And you look like a nervous farmer taking his cow to market.”
They laughed, and for a moment, the fear melted.
Inside Kigali Art Center
The Kigali Art Center was full of
light and colors. Big paintings of volcanoes, dancers in Umushanana, and
children at Lake Kivu filled the walls. Judges spoke quietly while artists
arranged their work.
Aline carefully placed her sketches
on a table: lakes, jacaranda trees, children walking to school, and a sketch of
two hands holding under the rain. People gathered quickly, pointing,
whispering, smiling.
One judge, a woman from Kenya,
asked: “Young girl, who taught you?”
Aline blushed. “Books. And my own heart.”
Kevin’s chest swelled with pride.
Emmanuel, the teacher they once
feared, stepped forward. His voice was calm.
“Kevin, I came not to fight, but to
protect. Do not see me as your rival today. See me as your brother.”
Kevin’s eyes searched his. Slowly, he nodded.
The hall grew quiet. The main judge
announced: “Aline, please present your work.”
She walked to the stage, her hands
shaking. “These drawings are my voice,” she said. “They tell of Rwanda’s lakes,
of rain that brings hope, and of love that gives wings.”
The crowd leaned closer. Some judges
smiled. But suddenly, one of the rough men from the old cinema shouted:
“Her art is fake! She copied it!”
The hall gasped.
Aline froze. Tears filled her eyes.
Kevin jumped up. “That is a lie! I
watched her draw every line, even under the jacaranda tree in Huye!”
The judges frowned. Emmanuel stood
tall. “Bring proof, or leave.”
The men sneered and slipped out,
leaving behind doubt like smoke.
Love Tested in Public
Aline turned to Kevin with tears.
“Kevin, will they believe me?”
Kevin walked up to the stage, held
her hand, and spoke to the crowd.
“This art is true. It carries her
soul. I trust her with my life. I ask you, do not listen to lies. Look at her
work with your hearts.”
For a moment, silence. Then clapping
started. It grew louder until the hall was full of applause.
The head judge stood. “Young girl, you have courage. Your art is alive. You will join the Kigali Art Fellowship.”
Aline covered her face with her hands, crying with joy. Kevin hugged her tightly. “We did it!”
Outside, Emmanuel said quietly:
“Jealousy is like fire. If you feed it, it burns. But if you walk in truth, it
dies. Protect her with trust, not fists.”
Kevin looked at him with respect. “Thank you.”
In Rwanda, love stories often meet family values and community judgment. When a girl rises, it is not only her story, it becomes her family’s story, her village’s story. Aline’s art was not just about her heart; it was about Rwanda’s beauty, resilience, and hope.
On their way back, rain began to
fall again. They stood under a jacaranda tree, petals sticking to Aline’s wet
hair.
“Do you still fear losing me?” she
asked.
Kevin shook his head. “No. I fear only losing our truth.”
She kissed him softly. “Then we are safe.”
That night, Kevin’s phone buzzed
again.
“This is not over. Tomorrow’s review
will decide more than her art. If she shines, enemies will rise higher. Be
ready.”
Kevin stared at the screen. The
storm was far from over.
Life Lessons from this Episode
As I wrote this episode, I imagined
a young couple in Huye, facing the same challenges my students sometimes talk
about after class. They tell me love is not only about holding hands; it is
about fighting lies, keeping trust, and staying true even when others doubt
you.
Lesson: Love becomes stronger when trust is louder than jealousy.
Related Episodes You May Like
- Generative AI in Education: How It Can Help or Harm Equality in Classrooms
- How Repetition Shapes Memory: Practical Ideas
- When Hearts Whispers Episode 10: Journey
- Learn more about Rwandan culture and art
- Read about African love and family values – BBC Africa
Call to Action
What did you feel when reading this
episode?
Share your thoughts in the comments and don’t forget to click on follow for Episode 13 of When Hearts Whispers!
0 Comments