Champagne Problems // English's Version

Chapter 10: Mild Smiles

Becoming president of the journalism club had been an incredible accomplishment for Agatha. Every day on campus seemed brighter, full of new possibilities, and she was surrounded by friends, colleagues, and students who admired her. Kyle watched her, smiling every time he saw her walk through the halls of college with the mixture of pride and confidence that, until that moment, she had lacked. He had never seen her so happy, and it warmed his heart.

The days passed quietly, marked by the rhythm of classes, club commitments, and rugby games. Agatha and Kyle, along with their group of closest friends, always made time to be together. Often they would be found sitting on the campus lawn, studying, eating, and talking. Sometimes Kyle would bring his guitar, and someone would start singing. Those moments seemed perfect, a bubble of serenity in which everything seemed to be in the right place.

Yet, behind the smiles and laughter, Agatha was living a silent drama. No one, not even Kyle, had noticed her growing sadness, the feeling of being overwhelmed by her own thoughts. On the outside, Agatha was the model student, the admired leader and the sweet and present girlfriend. But inside, she felt like she was sinking into a dark abyss from which she could not escape.

It had all started slowly, like a small weight that she carried on her shoulders and that she thought she could manage. The responsibilities of the club president, the expectation of always being at her best, always ready to solve other people's problems, had built up until they were suffocating her. The more she tried to prove herself strong, the more she felt like she was losing control. And so she began to take refuge in alcohol.

Agatha was skilled at hiding her discomfort. No one had noticed a thing. She knew how to mask the taste of vodka that she carried in her canteen instead of water. She drank before meetings, during breaks between classes, and even when she sat with Kyle and his friends on the campus lawn. The world seemed to keep spinning, but she felt like she was watching her life from the outside, trapped in a spiral she didn't know how to escape.

Kyle saw her so happy, or so it seemed to him. He never imagined that behind that bright smile was an abyss of loneliness and pain. In the quiet moments, when they were alone, he would tell her how proud he was of her, how happy he was to see the success she was having. Agatha, with her heavy heart, would smile and nod, pretending to agree. «Yes, everything is great.» she would say, but deep down she knew she was lying.

The journalism club had become a refuge, but also a source of stress. Every big decision, every project, seemed to weigh on her like a mountain. Every time she tried to face the day, she felt the need to take a sip from her canteen to calm the anxiety that was growing inside her. No one would have ever imagined that the girl who walked proudly through the halls with her elegant coat and her impeccable smile was struggling with herself every moment.

The evenings with Kyle were the moments that kept her anchored to reality, but even those were becoming difficult.

Every time they were together, Agatha felt guilty. She loved him, but she felt unworthy of his love. He saw her as a strong and capable woman, but she knew she was on the verge of collapse, that she could no longer hold that weight. Kyle didn't suspect anything, and that made everything even more painful.

One afternoon, sitting together on the lawn, Kyle looked at her and said: «I've never seen you so happy, Agatha. It seems like everything is going great for you.» Agatha nodded, smiling weakly, but inside she felt a wave of despair growing. «Yes, everything is fine.» she replied, but her voice was shaking slightly.

As the sun set, Agatha took refuge in her drink once more. No one noticed, because she had become an expert at hiding the signs of her decline. But inside her, the sadness was growing more and more, and the alcohol, which had initially given her an escape, was becoming a prison from which she no longer knew how to escape.

That evening, as she was getting ready for bed, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She felt like she no longer recognized herself. Who was that girl with the dull eyes, hidden behind a fake smile? Who had she become? Agatha felt trapped in a nightmare from which she did not know how to wake up, and for the first time, she began to wonder if there was a way out.

But for now, she continued to pretend. Pretending to be happy, pretending to have everything under control. As long as no one noticed, perhaps she could continue to make it. But deep down, she knew that her time was running out.