She had always been the quiet one.
The girl who sat at the back, spoke only when spoken to, and blended into the background so well that people often forgot she was there. Confidence had never been her strength. Neither had luck. She carried constant pressure on her shoulders, the pressure to do better, to be better, yet every time she tried to move forward, life seemed to pull her back.
She had no close friends. No one she could truly open up to. While others moved ahead, celebrating small victories and big milestones, she remained stuck in the same vicious cycle of comparison, pressure, failure, and self-doubt. Again and again.
She wasn't a bad student. Just… average.And average felt like a crime in a world that only noticed excellence.
Still, she tried. Even when she didn't believe in herself, she tried.
The worst mistake she made was searching for comfort in the wrong place. She entered a relationship hoping to feel understood, loved, supported, hoping someone would finally choose her. Instead, it broke her in ways she hadn't known were possible. Her trust shattered. Her love turned into wounds. What she received in return was misunderstanding, emotional abuse, and constant hurt.
That was her rock bottom.
Her studies collapsed soon after. Results worsened. Days slipped into procrastination. Nights were filled with guilt and regret. She blamed herself for everything , for not being strong enough, smart enough, brave enough.
Yet, even then, she didn't stop completely.
She was tired. She was lost. She was hurting. But somewhere beneath all that pain, she was still fighting.