For the first time in a long time, Akutu was alone—but not in a bad way.
Not lonely. Not broken. Just… rediscovering herself.
Because sometimes, when you spend so much time being part of something, you forget what it's like to be just you.
And Akutu was finally learning who she was outside of Nathan, outside of expectations, outside of the person she thought she had to be.
This was her time.
And she was ready for it.
She started small.
She took walks alone, not because she had nowhere to go, but because she wanted to enjoy her own company.
She spent more time in the library, not as a place to meet someone, but as a space where she could dive into books, ideas, and the quiet hum of knowledge.
She joined a new study group—not because she needed to, but because she wanted to push herself in ways she hadn't before.
She even signed up for a short leadership program on campus, something she had always been curious about but never found the courage to try.
And with every new experience, every new challenge, she felt something shift.
She wasn't just moving on.
She was growing.
Nathan was on his own journey, too.
He had more time now—more energy to focus on himself, his passions, and his future.
He dove into his student leadership role with renewed enthusiasm, taking on projects that actually excited him rather than just filling his schedule.
He started writing again—something he had always loved but had slowly pushed aside.
And for the first time in a long time, he felt like he was building something for himself.
Not just existing. Not just going through the motions.
But choosing the life he wanted to live.
One afternoon, Akutu sat under a tree on campus, her notebook open in her lap.
She was making a list.
Not a to-do list.
Not a goals list.
Just a list of things she loved.
Long walks. Late-night conversations. Sunsets after a rainy day. Stories that make her feel something. Music that speaks without words. Learning something new.
For a moment, she smiled to herself.
Because for the first time in a long time, she wasn't thinking about what she had lost.
She was thinking about what she had found.
Herself.
The pulleys of life had shifted once again.