Episode 4: The First Step

The morning sun filtered through the curtains, bathing my room in a soft glow. I opened my eyes reluctantly, the weight of the day ahead pressing on me. Today marked the beginning of society recruitments, and for the first time in a while, I felt… purposeful.

After freshening up, I sat at my study desk with my laptop. The online forms for different societies were already live. A cup of tea sat steaming by my side, untouched as I meticulously filled out one form after another.

Finance, sports, music, drama—I filled them all. Almost every society’s form found its way to my submissions. Just in case, I thought. I didn’t want to take any chances. Even though Finesa and Apex were my top priorities, having backups felt reassuring.

By the time I finished, the clock showed 7:45 a.m. I quickly tied my hair into a ponytail, threw on my uniform, and left for school.

---

The school day was as mundane as ever.

Our first class was statistics, and I walked in with Sara and Somi, taking our usual seats in the middle row. The large windows let in beams of sunlight, making the classroom look almost ethereal.

Mr. Kapoor began his lecture, diving into probability distributions with his characteristic monotone voice. “Now, class, imagine you’re rolling a fair die…” he droned on, and my mind immediately wandered.

The lesson went by in a haze, with occasional nudges from Somi to keep me from dozing off.

---

By lunchtime, the cafeteria was buzzing as usual. The smell of freshly made samosas filled the air, and I followed Sara and Somi to our usual table near the window.

“So, how many forms did you fill out?” Somi asked, taking a bite of her sandwich.

“Almost all of them,” I replied with a shrug.

“Even the drama society?” Sara teased, raising her eyebrow.

“No,” I said quickly, making them laugh.

“What about Finesa? You must have put extra effort into that one,” Somi said, leaning forward.

I nodded. “Of course. I spent two hours on their form last night.”

“Then you’ve got this,” Sara said confidently.

---

After school, I went straight home instead of my usual detour to the volleyball court. My heart raced as I opened the online portal to check the results for the personal interview (PI) round.

I scrolled through the lists, finding my name on Apex’s PI list. My slot was in the evening. Relief washed over me. But as I moved to Finesa’s list, my heart stopped.

My name wasn’t there.

I stared at the screen, refreshing the page over and over, hoping it was a mistake. But the truth stared back at me, cold and unrelenting.

How could this happen? I had poured my heart into that form, crafting answers that reflected my passion for finance. Yet, it wasn’t enough.

---

Dinner was a quiet affair that evening.

I sat at the table, picking at my food while my parents talked about their day. When my mom noticed my untouched plate, she asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I said quickly, not wanting to elaborate. The rejection from Finesa felt too personal, too raw to discuss.

After a few half-hearted bites, I excused myself and went to my room.

---

That night, I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The ache of disappointment refused to go away. Even though I had made it to Apex and other societies, the sting of being overlooked by Finesa lingered.

Was I not good enough? The thought gnawed at me as I turned off the lights and pulled the blanket over myself.

---

The next morning, I woke up to a slight knock at my door.

“Ayla! Get up, or you’ll be late,” my mom called.

I dragged myself out of bed, going through the motions of getting ready. My usual excitement had dulled, but I put on a brave face.

---

At school, Sara and Somi were waiting for me by the lockers.

“Guess what?” Sara said, her eyes lighting up. “I got into the PI round for The Groove!”

“The Groove?” I asked, confused.

“The dance society,” she clarified, twirling dramatically.

“Oh, that’s amazing!” I said, genuinely happy for her.

“What about you, Somi?” Sara asked, turning to her.

“I’m going for Theatrics,” Somi replied with a grin. “Drama society all the way!”

“Of course you are,” Sara teased.

“What about you, Ayla?” Somi asked.

“I got into Apex’s PI round,” I said, managing a small smile.

“That’s great!” Sara said, nudging me playfully.

But deep down, the rejection from Finesa still weighed on me. The day went on as usual, with lectures and occasional jokes from Sara and Somi to keep my spirits up.

---

By the time I got home that evening, I was emotionally drained. I had a few more PIs scheduled for the next day, including one for another finance society, but my enthusiasm was fading.

I collapsed onto my bed without even changing, staring at the ceiling as the events of the day replayed in my mind.

Tomorrow’s a new day, I told myself, closing my eyes and willing sleep to come!

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