In Her Own Footsteps

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Aanya quickly wiped the microscopic sweat beads forming on the palms of her hands on her jeans. A loud squeak echoed in the entrance as she pushed the glass door open. Upon stepping inside, she was greeted by a bright yellow poster printed on A3 paper, adorned with black and bold lettering. It read, "Welcome! Peer support is a community." Taped on the white walls next to it was another poster, displaying a directory of room numbers. She wiped her hands once again before pointing at the list with her index finger, scanning the room numbers carefully.

Room 103 | 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM: Friends & Relatives of Bipolar.

Aanya followed the entrance hallway, turning right at the corner. The footsteps were quiet against the dark grey carpeted floor. The interior had a college-like aesthetic, reminding her of her own Alma Matter. The building was lit in bright tungsten lights that made it feel much like a hospital. Aanya fidgeted with the handle of her crossbody purse as it hung lightly on the side of her hips, wiping her palm along her thighs occasionally. After a short two-minute walk, the hallway came to an end, and Aanya saw four doors, two on each side of the walls, equally distanced from each other. She glanced around at the numbers plaques on each of them.

As she approached Room 103, she heard light chatters coming from inside. She was able to distinguish a few different voices. Stepping in front of the opaque door, Aanya paused to take a few deep breaths and compose herself. She pulled her small water bottle from the bag and took a few sips. Aanya considered whether it was the right choice. She loved connecting with people, but, she had been long out of touch.

"First time?" A woman's voice said, a few steps behind her. Aanya was lost in her own thoughts and had not heard anyone approaching.

"Yes," she blurted out, turning around. Aanya smiled nervously. The woman seemed to be around the same age as her. She had brown eyes and wavy light brown hair that reached her shoulders. Behind her, the keychains hanging from the black backpack, jingled as she approached.

"I was nervous too on my first time." She comforted Aanya, smiling from cheek to cheek. She reached out with her right hand. "Hi! I'm Tessa!"

"I'm Aanya!" Aanya shook her hand, briefly forgetting about the moist palms. Tessa did not react to it. "Is it very obvious that I'm nervous?" She asked, chuckling awkwardly.

"A little," Tessa answered before adding, "It's okay! In fact, everyone is when they first come in. Come on, I'll introduce you! There's only a handful of us."

"Okay," Aanya answered, taking a deep breath and exhaling.

Tessa led the way, walking past Aanya. In a quick swoop, she pressed the handlebar with both hands, applying pressure. Loudly, the hinge lock clicked as the door opened, revealing a warm and inviting room inside.

Aanya followed closely behind Tessa, her heart beating a little faster. As she stepped into the room, she immediately noticed the cozy setup. The walls were painted in a soothing shade of blue, and there were comfortable chairs arranged in a circle, facing each other. There was a notice board along the back wall, adorned with a mixture of motivational and informational posters. Soft instrumental music played in the background, creating a calm atmosphere.

Inside the room, there were already a few people seated and engaged in conversation. Tessa was right, there was only about a handful. Including herself, Aanya counted seven people in total. Aanya noticed a mix of unfamiliar welcoming faces, a blend of adults from different age groups.

"Hello my people, how is everyone doing on this fine day?" Tessa greeted the others, almost rhythmically.

"Tessa, sweetie! A woman, seemingly in her fifties, answered, offering her a warm smile. She had a blond pixie cut and when the light hit her hair, there was a faint hint of pastel purple. "How was your week? Did your exams go well?" She added.