Fear had always been a quiet shadow in Akutu's life. It didn't scream—it whispered. It crept into her thoughts when she was alone. It held her back when she wanted to move forward.
But she was learning that courage wasn't the absence of fear—it was the decision to move forward despite it.
And in this phase of her life, she would have to make that choice again and again.
The first challenge came with Kwame.
Ever since their conversation that night, something had shifted between them. The air felt heavier, charged with unspoken emotions.
One evening, as they sat by the campus fountain, Kwame finally broke the silence.
"Akutu, I meant what I said. I have feelings for you."
Akutu's heart raced. She had been hoping he wouldn't bring it up.
Not because she didn't feel the same.
But because she did.
And that terrified her.
Kwame saw the hesitation in her eyes. "You don't have to say anything now. Just… be honest with yourself."
That night, she lay awake, staring at the ceiling.
She wanted to take the leap.
But what if it didn't work out? What if she got hurt?
The fear whispered: Stay where you are. It's safer that way.
But something deeper inside her whispered back: And what if it's worth it?
The second challenge came with her writing.
Akutu's first published story had given her confidence—but now, expectations felt heavier.
She wanted to submit another piece, something deeply personal. But as she stared at the words on the screen, doubt crept in.
"What if this one isn't good enough?" she muttered.
Sarah, sitting across from her, rolled her eyes. "Akutu, every writer feels like that. But do you know what separates successful writers from the rest?"
Akutu raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"They submit anyway."
With a deep breath, Akutu hit send.
She had no control over what would happen next.
But she had chosen courage over fear.
And that was enough.
The biggest challenge, however, came with graduation.
She was now in her final year, and the future loomed ahead like an open road—one she wasn't sure how to walk.
One afternoon, she sat in her professor's office, overwhelmed.
"I don't know what to do next," she admitted.
Her professor smiled. "Akutu, no one ever truly does. But the people who go far are the ones who take the first step anyway."
That night, she sat down with her notebook and wrote a list of all the things she wanted.
Some were small—travel, learn a new language, try skydiving (maybe).
Some were big—publish a book, start her own initiative, build a life she loved.
She didn't have all the answers.
But she had the courage to begin.
The pulleys of life had shifted once again.