What if a simple game could unmask the secrets you’ve spent a lifetime hiding?

At Silverpine College, tucked away in the misty highlands, life follows a predictable rhythm of lectures, laughter, and long-standing friendships. For a close-knit group of friends—the fearless Allu, the quiet Shahli, the hungry jokester Asher, the brilliant Alex, and the steady Mike—every day is an adventure in camaraderie . But in the corner of their lively classroom sits a silent wall: a brilliant, nameless girl who never speaks and never smiles .

Everything changes on an ordinary afternoon when Ruby introduces a new game called W-A-Y (What About You?) .

What starts as a lighthearted way to pass a free period quickly transforms into a profound psychological mirror. As the questions evolve from silly "what-ifs" to deep inquiries about betrayal, pain, and loss, the layers of their carefully constructed public personas begin to peel away .

Alex, the group's "clown," is forced to confront the hollow silence of a broken home and the parents who have forgotten he exists .
Allu must face a buried heartbreak from her past that she has never dared to speak aloud .
Mike carries a secret grief that threatens to shatter the strength his friends rely on .
As the group navigates their final year and heads toward a future that will take them across continents, they realize that life's true tests aren't found in textbooks, but in the heart.

W-A-Y is a poignant debut novel by Fathima Azad that explores the unseen struggles hidden behind everyday life. It is a story for students, for parents, and for anyone who has ever felt unheard. It reminds us that behind every smile is a story, and that sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is speak your truth.

In a world that rarely gives us the chance to be real, are you ready to play W-A-Y?