Resilience had kept Akutu moving forward, but she never expected life to repay her so soon.
For months, she had been sacrificing sleep, working tirelessly, and pushing through struggles. She had accepted that her hard work might not pay off immediately, but she kept going anyway.
Then, the rewards started appearing—slowly, almost silently.
The first reward came in the form of unexpected recognition.
One afternoon, her professor stopped her after class.
"Akutu, I've noticed your consistency," he said. "You've been handling your coursework well despite your responsibilities."
She smiled, but before she could say anything, he continued.
"I'm recommending you for a scholarship program. It's competitive, but I think you have a strong chance."
Akutu's heart skipped a beat. A scholarship?
She hadn't even considered it, but now… this could change everything.
She thanked him, holding back tears.
For the first time in a long while, she felt seen.
The second reward was in her tutoring job.
One of her students, the same one who had once snapped at her, surprised her at the end of a session.
"I got an A on my test," he said, a little awkwardly. "I just wanted to say… thanks."
Akutu blinked. "That's amazing! You worked hard for it."
The boy shrugged. "Yeah, but I was gonna quit before. You didn't let me."
At that moment, she realized something—her struggles weren't just for herself.
She was making an impact, even in small ways.
The third reward came in an unexpected phone call.
One evening, after a long day, she picked up the phone to hear her mother's voice.
"Your father is doing much better."
Relief flooded her.
"He still has a long way to go," her mother added. "But he's stronger. He even asked me to tell you something."
There was a pause, then her father's weak but determined voice came through.
"I'm proud of you, Akutu."
Her throat tightened.
She had doubted herself so many times, wondered if her choices were right.
But now she knew.
She wasn't just surviving.
She was growing.
Not every reward was instant. Some were invisible, waiting to show themselves at the right time.
And when they did, they proved one thing—hard work never truly goes unnoticed.
The pulleys of life had shifted once again.