Life had a way of bringing people into our paths when we least expected it.
Akutu had started writing for herself again. She had let go of the pressure, and in doing so, she had rediscovered her love for storytelling.
But she hadn't expected her words to reach someone new.
One afternoon, as she sat in the library flipping through her notes, a voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Hey… you're Akutu, right?"
She looked up to see a tall, lean guy with glasses and a hesitant smile. She vaguely recognized him—he was in one of her general courses but had never spoken to her before.
"Yes," she said cautiously.
He shifted nervously. "I just wanted to say… I read your story in the publication last month. It really spoke to me."
Akutu blinked. "You read it?"
He nodded. "Yeah. The way you wrote about self-doubt and pressure… it felt like you were telling my story too."
Akutu had never thought of her writing as something that could connect with others like this. She had always assumed she was writing her own personal struggles, her own emotions.
But here was someone who had seen himself in her words.
And suddenly, her writing felt even more meaningful.
They ended up talking for over an hour. His name was Nathan, a computer science student who also loved storytelling. He confessed that he used to write, but stopped because he never felt "good enough."
"Maybe you should start again," Akutu suggested.
He smiled. "Maybe."
And just like that, a new connection was made.
That night, as Akutu lay in bed, she thought about how much had changed in the past few months.
She had started this journey alone, thinking writing was something personal, something just for her.
But now she realized—stories had a way of connecting people, even in the most unexpected ways.
The pulleys of life had shifted once again.