A Chance Encounter

Chapter 14: Doubt Creeps In

Mia stared at the screen of her laptop, the blinking cursor taunting her as it remained stationary in the middle of a half-formed sentence. She had been sitting there for over an hour, trying to will herself to type something—anything—but her mind was blank. Her creative momentum from the past few weeks had come to a screeching halt, replaced by a growing sense of uncertainty. She'd been so full of ideas, but now, every decision felt impossible to make.

The characters she'd crafted with care felt like strangers, their motivations muddy, their dialogue stilted. The story arc, which had once seemed clear in her mind, now felt convoluted and forced. Even her drawings felt wrong—too stiff, too lifeless. She flipped through her sketches, her stomach churning with dissatisfaction. Nothing was good enough.

With a groan, Mia closed the laptop and pushed it away, resting her head in her hands. The pressure she'd been putting on herself was becoming unbearable. The more she tried to push through, the more she felt like she was failing. She had promised herself she wouldn't get stuck in this cycle again, but here she was—staring at a blank page, wondering if she was ever going to get this project off the ground.

The ringing of her phone pulled her from her thoughts, and she reached for it with a sigh, hoping for a distraction. It was Jake.

"Hey," she answered, trying to sound upbeat, though her voice came out more strained than she intended.

"Hey, Mia. Just checking in. How's the graphic novel coming along? Still on that creative high?"

Mia hesitated, her heart sinking at the question. She didn't want to admit how much she was struggling, but she also didn't want to lie. "Not really. I'm kind of... stuck again."

Jake was silent for a moment on the other end of the line, and Mia braced herself for a response. "That's okay," he said finally, his voice gentle. "It happens. You've been working really hard lately, maybe you just need a break."

Mia closed her eyes, frustration bubbling up inside her. "I don't have time for a break, Jake. The deadline is coming up, and I feel like I'm nowhere near where I need to be."

"I know, but forcing it won't help. You always do your best work when you let yourself breathe a little."

Breathe? Mia wanted to scream. She felt like she was suffocating. Every moment she spent not working on the project made her feel guilty, and every moment she spent working on it felt like a failure. She knew Jake was trying to help, but his calm, supportive tone only made her feel worse. Why couldn't she just take his advice and relax? Why did everything have to feel so heavy?

"I just... I don't know," Mia said, her voice cracking slightly. "I thought I had it all figured out, but now I'm second-guessing everything. What if it's not good enough? What if I'm not good enough?"

Jake's voice softened. "Mia, you're more than good enough. You've already come so far, and your work is incredible. You just need to trust yourself."

Mia bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill over. "I wish it was that easy."

"Maybe you're being too hard on yourself," Jake suggested. "You're allowed to have doubts, but don't let them control you. You've got this, Mia. You've always had it."

Mia nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "Thanks, Jake. I just... I need some time to figure things out."

"Take all the time you need. I'm here if you want to talk."

They said their goodbyes, and Mia sat there, staring at her phone for a moment longer before tossing it onto the couch. Jake's words had been kind, but they hadn't eased the knot in her stomach. She appreciated his support, but he didn't understand the pressure she was under—not really. He wasn't the one staring down a deadline with nothing to show for it.