The Rollercoaster Ride

PART-3

The stranger's gaze drifted back to the river, her eyes glazing over as if lost in thoughts. The girl's words hung in the air, a gentle breeze rustling the leaf of nearby trees.

"You know, we all dream of something," the girl spoke, her voice softening. "But, sometimes, life has other plans for us. We end up doing something else, and that's okay."

The stranger's expressions turned skeptical, her voice laced with doubts. "But, what if I'm not good at anything else?"

The girl's smile was warm and encouraging. "Well, you can't say until you try, and you don't have to know if you are good at something or not. You just have to be willing to try, to discover, to explore. And, who knows, you might find something even more satisfying than being a doctor."

The stranger's eyes searched the girl's face. "How can you be so calm? How can you tell me to move on that easily when you yourself have failed four times in this exam? Don't you fear failure, people's taunts, and the way relatives look so down on you?"

The girl's expressions turned introspective, her eyes gazing into the distance. "I'm no one to tell you to move on from your dream, I just want you to move on from this loop of grief and self-doubt. It's on you. If you want to continue, carry on. This is your life. You have all rights to decide about your career, your future. Take your time, think about it, and then decide."

She paused to collect her thoughts and then continued, "And about fear? I do. Everybody does. I've felt it grip my heart, making it hard to breathe. It tells you that you are not enough, that you'll never be enough."

She turned back to the stranger, her voice filled with conviction. "But, you have to tell yourself that I'm enough, strong, capable, and resilient."

The stranger's eyebrows furrowed, her voice laced with skepticism. "But, what about people's taunts, their mocking glances? How do you deal with that?"

The girl's gentle smile and sparkling eyes hinted at a quiet confidence. She reached out and lifted the stranger's chin, her gaze locking onto hers. "Their opinions don't define me," she said, her voice steady. "They see only the surface, not the depth. I know my own worth, and that's all that matters."

The stranger's eyes clouded, her jaw set in defiance. She couldn't bring herself to forgive her past mistakes.

The girl watched her, then gazed up at the sky, as if weighing her thoughts. "I wanted to become a doctor for more than just helping others," she said, her voice measured. "I wanted to heal myself, too."

Her voice was laced with a mix of sadness and longing. "I wanted to escape—my family, the constant fights, and the toxic environment. I wanted a peaceful life, free from all the drama and pain."

She paused, her gaze drifting back to the glittery sky. "I used to study late into the nights, skipping meals, just to distract myself from the chaos at home." The stars twinkled like diamonds against the dark canvas, a stark contrast to the turmoil that had once consumed her.

"My parents were so caught up in their own battles that they forgot I existed." Her laughter was tinged with sadness, her voice heavy with the lump in her throat. "There were times when I felt like ending it all, but I was too scared. I worried about what others would think and how my family would cope with the aftermath." She swallowed hard, her eyes glistening, but no tears fell.

She inhaled deeply before continuing, "Ironical, isn't it? I was more concerned about what others would think than my well-being. But that's the thing - we often prioritise other's opinions over our own happiness."

She turned to the stranger, her eyes locking onto hers. "But I realised that running away isn't the solution. Facing our problems, our fears, our insecurities - that's the only way to truly find peace."