I limped out of the school building, each step a painful reminder that life doesn’t go as anticipated. This situation wasn’t on the list of anticipated outcomes I had come up with in my head. Should I just be happy that the worst-case scenarios I imagined didn’t happen? Trust me, they were far worse than this. I felt like I was entering a battlefield.
I never expected to leave the neighborhood I’d lived in since birth like this. I looked up at the sky, sighing as I thought about how life was about to change. Things were going to be different—no more familiar routines, no more hanging out on the same streets, no more predictable days, no more familiar smiling faces. College was a new challenge, a new life for me.
But as much as I tried to focus on the future, the dull ache in my left leg kept pulling me back to the present. Just as I was about to limp away, I heard footsteps approaching.
“Karan…”
“Hey, congrats, boy! You retained your title!” My friend’s voice was full of enthusiasm, but I could only manage a small smile in return.
“Thanks,” I replied, trying to keep the conversation light.
He glanced down at my leg, concern in his eyes. “Are you okay now? Is it bearable?”
I nodded, though the truth was I wasn’t. It wasn’t just about my leg. “Yeah, I’m fine. But I’ve decided—I’m done with sports.”
His reaction was immediate. “Come on, man, you just played once!”
I couldn’t help but deadpan. “And I ended up like this.”
He laughed, throwing an arm around my shoulders. “If you had even 20% of the confidence in sports that you have in academics, you would’ve played better. But you were a nervous wreck out there. The whole university got to witness the infamous poker-face guy losing his cool.”
I couldn’t argue with that. My reputation for keeping my emotions in check had been shattered during that match. I was never more exposed, more vulnerable, and everyone had seen it. I felt shitty, and that’s an even better reason not to act on impulsive thoughts.
I nodded, accepting the truth of his words. “Life taught me a lesson through you: never trust a little scamp like you.”
“I don’t like the adrenaline rush,” I muttered as we walked, the memory of that fateful game still fresh in my mind. “That’s exactly how I felt while playing—like I was on the edge of a cliff, and any wrong move would send me tumbling down.”
My friend glanced at me, his usual teasing smirk softened by concern. “You really hate that feeling, huh?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I guess I like my life a bit bland. Predictable, you know? I’m used to it. It’s comfortable.”
He snorted, giving me a light shove. “Bland? Man, you’re way too young to be talking like an old man. College is gonna shake you up whether you like it or not. Life’s gonna get harder, my friend.”
I shrugged. “Maybe. But I’m not looking for any more thrills. Not like that. I’m fine with sticking to what I know.”
There was a moment of silence, just the sound of our footsteps on the pavement. Finally, he spoke, his tone more serious than before. “You know, Karan, it’s okay to step out of your comfort zone once in a while. You don’t have to love the rush, but maybe don’t close yourself off to new experiences entirely.”
I’ve heard this a hundred times, and I’m well aware of it. My friends and family said the same thing, but it’s not easy to change who you are. “Yeah, maybe. But right now, I think I’ll stick to what I’m good at. Academics, a quiet routine… It might be bland, but it’s my kind of safe.”
He gave me a long look but didn’t press further. Instead, he just patted me on the back. “Alright, man. Good luck with whatever you want to do. And remember, life doesn’t always go as planned.” His eyes fell on my injured leg.
I just nodded without words.
As we continued walking, I felt a strange mix of nervousness and excitement.
I might not be ready for adrenaline-fueled chaos, but I wasn’t completely closed off to the idea of change. Maybe, just maybe, I could find a balance between the safety of the known and the unpredictability of what was to come.
