Summary

The short story “The Quiet One” by Stephen Gibbin starts with Liam, a thirteen-year-old boy, thinking about his grandfather whom he resembles since he knows a lot and likes to read. Liam also thinks about how everyone bullies or ignores him at school. He remembers a particular incident when his brother Kyle had worn a girl’s blouse to school because it was the only thing their father could find in a charity shop and he got bullied for it. The teachers never helped them. 

Liam’s favorite place is his grandfather’s shed which is full of tools and salvaged furniture. Liam spends most of his time with his grandfather gardening and grafting plants. He is at the shed when Courtney Hadley, a girl from school, finds him and starts talking to him. 

Courtney recognizes Liam as Kyle’s brother and says that Kyle is the weird brother while Liam is the quiet one. Liam ignores Courtney’s attempts to talk to him. Courtney asks him why he is not in school and reveals that her brother got kicked out and got an apprenticeship. She then asks him if she can have one of the strawberries he is picking. Liam eventually ...