Everyone carried battles no one else could see. Akutu was starting to realize that. Some struggles were loud and visible, while others were fought quietly, hidden behind smiles and everyday routines.
She had always been good at handling stress—or at least pretending she was. But this semester was different. The workload was heavier, deadlines were tighter, and her growing attachment to writing sometimes made her neglect her studies.
She was slipping, and no one knew.
One night, she sat at her desk, eyes scanning the notes in front of her. The words blurred. Her mind was restless.
She had an exam in three days, but all she wanted to do was write. Her stories felt more real than her textbooks.
Frustrated, she closed the book.
"You're going to fail if you keep doing this," she muttered to herself.
But was passing worth sacrificing the one thing that made her feel alive?
The next day, Jenny noticed. "You look like you haven't slept."
"I'm fine," Akutu said quickly.
Jenny frowned. "Liar. What's going on?"
Akutu hesitated. Then, she sighed. "I feel stuck. Like I'm being pulled in two different directions. I want to do well in school, but I also want to write. And I don't know how to balance both."
Jenny was quiet for a moment. Then she said, "You don't have to choose one over the other, you know. You just need a system."
"A system?"
Jenny nodded. "Yes! Schedule your writing time. Schedule your study time. And most importantly—stop being so hard on yourself."
Akutu exhaled. Maybe Jenny was right. Maybe she wasn't failing—maybe she just needed to find balance.
That evening, she sat down and made a plan. Study first, write later. No skipping classes. No sacrificing sleep.
It wasn't perfect, and she knew there would still be struggles, but she wasn't going to let her silent battles consume her.
Because at the end of the day, battles weren't meant to be fought alone.
The pulleys of life had shifted once again.