Aarohi barely touched her breakfast the next morning. The conversation from last night kept replaying in her head, each word from her parents cutting deeper than the last. The rejection wasnât just about the MBA; it was about everything she had tried to be and failed at in their eyes. They didnât trust her, didnât believe in her, and that hurt more than anything.
Her motherâs words echoed in her mind, âIt feels like youâre grasping at straws, trying to delay the future instead of facing it.â Aarohi had tried to explain, to make them understand that this wasnât about avoiding somethingâit was about finding herself. But they didnât see it that way. It was as if she had no right to want anything more for herself.
With a heavy heart, Aarohi stood up from the breakfast table, where her father and mother were deep in conversation about Shwetaâs wedding preparations. She couldnât bear the forced cheerfulness, the way they moved about as though everything was normal. She needed a break, some time away from their prying eyes.
âIâm leaving early for college,â she said abruptly, her voice flat.
Rajesh looked up from his newspaper, his brow furrowed. âEarly? But the classes donât start until later, Aarohi. Is something wrong?â
âNo, I just... need to be there early today. Iâll grab something on the way,â she replied, avoiding his gaze.
Neelam opened her mouth to protest, but Aarohi was already gathering her things. The tension in the room was suffocating, and she didnât want to hear another word about how much she was disappointing them. She just wanted to escape.
Without waiting for their reply, Aarohi grabbed her bag and headed for the door, her steps quick and purposeful. She didnât care if she was being rude; she wasnât in the mood to pretend everything was fine. She wasnât fine.
Outside, the cool morning air hit her like a slap, but it felt refreshing. As she walked toward the bus stop, Aarohi tried to push back the tears threatening to spill. Her parents didnât understand her. They had never understood her. She had always been the quiet, obedient daughterâuntil now. And now, with her future on the line, they were treating her like a burden.
By the time Aarohi reached college, the bustling campus felt like a sanctuary. The familiar noise of students talking, laughing, and rushing between classes was a welcome distraction. It was a brief escape, but an escape nonetheless. She didnât have to worry about the judgmental eyes of her parents here. At least, not for now.
She sat in the empty classroom, waiting for the professor to arrive, her thoughts scattered. She had always loved the peaceful solitude of being alone at school. It was one of the few places where she could truly think, where she wasnât weighed down by expectations. But today, even that comfort felt distant.
The classroom door opened, and the professor walked in, a few minutes before the lecture was set to begin. He glanced around, giving his usual greeting.
âGood morning, everyone,â he said. âBefore we start the lecture today, I want to remind you all that your third year is approaching soon. There are a lot of things to consider, like internships, career prospects, and further education. I know some of you might be thinking about applying for post-graduation programs, and I want to make sure youâre prepared for whatâs coming next. Take some time to think about your goals, whether itâs further studies, internships, or jobs. The clockâs ticking.â
Aarohiâs heart skipped a beat, her palms suddenly clammy. Third year. The words rang in her ears like a warning bell, growing louder and louder in her mind.
The pressure of time, of the decisions she was supposed to have made already, hit her all at once. She hadnât even started thinking about what came next, let alone what she wanted. Everyone else seemed to have their lives figured outâinternships, future goals, maybe even plans for further education. But for her, the future was a looming, uncertain blur, and the idea of it coming closer with each passing day terrified her.
The professor continued, but Aarohi couldnât focus on his words. The clockâs ticking. The thought repeated in her head like a mantra, suffocating her. How had everything gotten so out of control?
She couldnât even tell her parents what she wanted. She had tried, only to be rejected. They had made it clear that they didnât believe in her, and now she was stuck in this cycle of confusion and fear. They had already started planning her future, and she felt like a helpless bystander in her own life.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket, snapping her out of her thoughts. It was a message from Tanya.
Tanya: Hey, howâs it going? You okay?
Aarohi stared at the message for a moment, unsure of how to respond. How could she explain that she was losing control of everything? How could she tell Tanya that the pressure was overwhelming her?
She typed back, her fingers trembling slightly:
Aarohi: Iâm not okay. They said no. They think Iâm just trying to delay things, avoid the future.
The reply came quickly:
Tanya: Thatâs horrible, Aarohi. I know itâs hard, but donât let this stop you. Youâve got this.
Aarohi let out a shaky breath, grateful for Tanyaâs support, but it didnât help the heavy knot in her chest. Her heart felt like it was in her throat, and the thought of third year looming just around the corner made her feel even more trapped.
The professorâs voice broke through her thoughts again as he spoke about career planning. She could barely hear him, the words just a hum in the background. All she could think about was how unprepared she felt. How was she supposed to make any decisions when she didnât even know what she wanted for herself?
She looked around the room at her classmates, who all seemed so certain about their paths, and it made her feel even more lost. They were all talking about internships, career prospects, and further studies, while she was just trying to survive each day.
Aarohi quickly wiped away a tear that had escaped and forced herself to focus. She had to at least pretend she had everything together. But deep down, she knew that time was running out, and she still didnât know how to make her parents understand that she needed something different.
The professor continued, but Aarohi could no longer focus. The words felt distant, muffled under the weight of her own fears.
The clockâs ticking. The thought echoed relentlessly, a constant reminder of how far behind she felt.