🌙 CHAPTER 10 — She Felt the Weight of Expectations
1113 Words
The rain had finally stopped by morning, leaving the campus washed clean and glistening under a pale sun. The air smelled like wet pavement and new beginnings, but Lia felt none of that lightness. She woke with a heaviness in her chest — the kind that came from too many thoughts, too many feelings, too many unspoken things.
She sat at her desk, staring at her notebook.
Yesterday’s entry stared back at her:
“Maybe the heart doesn’t wait for permission.”
She closed the notebook gently.
Today, she needed clarity.
Today, she needed focus.
Today, she needed to breathe.
But the world had other plans.
🌤️ A Morning That Started Too Fast
The moment she stepped into the research building, she felt it — the shift in the air. Students rushed past her, whispering about deadlines, presentations, and the upcoming midterm evaluations.
Her group had a major presentation in two days.
A presentation that could determine their standing in the program.
Lia’s stomach tightened.
When she entered the study room, Aria was already pacing, Mateo was typing furiously, and Daniel was reviewing slides.
“You’re here,” Aria said, relief flooding her voice. “We need to finalize the model outputs today.”
Lia nodded, setting her things down. “I’ll run the last batch of tests.”
Daniel looked up, offering her a small smile. “Good morning.”
She returned it, though her heart wasn’t steady enough to feel it fully.
They worked in silence for a while — the kind of silence filled with tension, urgency, and the pressure to perform.
Lia focused on the data, her fingers flying across the keyboard. She double‑checked the error margins, refined the parameters, and reran the simulations.
After an hour, she exhaled. “The reactive model is stable.”
Mateo grinned. “Great. That’s one less thing to worry about.”
Aria nodded. “You’re saving us again, Lia.”
Lia felt warmth bloom in her chest — but it was quickly overshadowed by the weight of responsibility.
Saving them meant she couldn’t afford to fail.
📘 A Moment That Caught Her Off Guard
As they reviewed the slides, Daniel leaned closer to her screen.
“You did most of this,” he said quietly. “You should present the model.”
Lia froze. “Me?”
“You understand it better than anyone.”
Aria nodded. “He’s right.”
Lia’s heart pounded. Presenting meant standing in front of professors, scholars, and evaluators. Presenting meant being seen — fully, undeniably.
“I… I don’t know,” she whispered.
Daniel’s voice softened. “You can do it.”
She looked at him — really looked — and saw sincerity in his eyes. Encouragement. Belief.
But she also felt something else.
Something warm.
Something complicated.
She looked away quickly.
“I’ll think about it,” she said.
🌆 A Message That Made Her Chest Tighten
After the meeting, Lia stepped outside to clear her head. The sun was brighter now, reflecting off puddles like scattered mirrors.
Her phone buzzed.
Evan: How’s your morning?
Lia hesitated.
Lia: Busy. We’re preparing for the presentation.
Evan: I heard. It’s a big one.
She blinked.
Lia: You heard? From who?
Evan: A colleague. Word travels fast.
There was a pause.
Then:
Evan: Are you presenting?
Lia stared at the message, her heart tightening.
Lia: They want me to. I’m not sure.
Another pause.
Then:
Evan: You should.
Her breath caught.
Lia: What if I mess up?
Evan: You won’t. And even if you stumble, you’ll recover. You always do.
Her chest warmed — not from the words, but from the certainty behind them.
Evan: I’ll be there. Watching.
Lia froze.
Watching.
The word sent a ripple through her — warm, terrifying, grounding.
She didn’t know whether to feel comforted or exposed.
🌫️ An Afternoon That Pushed Her Limits
Her next class was brutal — a rapid‑fire lecture filled with complex theories and equations. Lia took notes as fast as she could, but her mind kept drifting.
To the presentation.
To Daniel’s encouragement.
To Evan’s message.
She didn’t want to disappoint anyone.
She didn’t want to fail.
She didn’t want to be the reason her group fell behind.
By the time class ended, her head throbbed.
🌙 A Conversation That Changed Everything
She headed to the library, hoping the quiet would help her breath. She found a corner table, opened her laptop, and stared at the presentation slides.
She didn’t hear Evan approach — but she felt him.
He sat across from her, his presence steady, grounding.
“You look overwhelmed,” he said softly.
“I am,” she admitted.
He leaned forward slightly. “Talk to me.”
Lia swallowed hard. “They want me to be present. I’m scared.”
“Why?”
“Because what if I’m not ready? What if I freeze? What if I disappoint them?”
Evan shook his head. “Lia, listen to me.”
She looked up, her eyes meeting his.
“You’re not here because you’re lucky,” he said. “You’re here because you’re capable. Because you work harder than anyone. Because you see things others miss.”
Her breath trembled.
“You’re ready,” he said. “More ready than you think.”
Lia felt something inside her loosen — a knot she had been carrying for days.
“Evan…” she whispered.
He held her gaze, something unspoken passing between them — warm, steady, dangerous.
“Do it,” he said softly. “Not for them. For you.”
Her heart pounded.
For her.
🌌 A Moment She Would Remember
They reviewed the slides together — not intensely, not hurriedly, but with quiet focus. Evan pointed out small improvements, helped her refine her explanations, and reassured her when she doubted herself.
When they finished, he closed her laptop gently.
“You’re going to be great,” he said.
Lia swallowed. “Thank you.”
He smiled — a soft, steady smile that made her chest ache.
“Anytime,” he said.
And she believed him.
📓 A Truth She Could Finally Accept
Back in her dorm, Lia opened her notebook and wrote:
“Day 34. Today, I realized something important.
Fear doesn’t mean I’m not ready.
It means I’m standing at the edge of something that matters.”
She paused, then added:
“Maybe courage isn’t loud.
Maybe it’s the quiet decision to try anyway.”
She closed the notebook gently.
Tomorrow, she will finalize the presentation.
Tomorrow, she would step into the spotlight.
Tomorrow, she would choose courage.
But tonight, she allowed herself to feel something she had earned:
Ready.
- Writer
