Aarav sat alone in the corner of the college canteen, stirring his coffee absentmindedly. His friends were at the other table, laughing and chatting without him. They hadn’t exactly excluded him, but Aarav felt invisible, especially after what had happened the night before at Neha’s birthday party.
He had tried to fit in, cracking jokes and following the group, but things took a turn when he accidentally spilled a drink on Neha. Everyone laughed, and Aarav felt like a fool. He tried to brush it off, but the humiliation lingered. His friends didn’t even check if he was okay—they just moved on, leaving him behind.
“Why do I even bother?” Aarav muttered to himself, staring at his phone, waiting for a message from his friends that never came.
For months, Aarav had been trying to keep up with the group—wearing what they wore, talking the way they did, and even faking interest in things he didn’t care about, just to feel like he belonged. But nothing seemed to work. He was still the outsider in their tightly-knit circle.
Later that day, Aarav bumped into Manish, an old friend from high school. They hadn’t spoken in a while, but Manish greeted him with a warm smile. “Hey, Aarav! Long time no see. How’ve you been?”
“Same old,” Aarav replied, trying to sound nonchalant.
Manish, noticing Aarav’s gloom, invited him to join a hiking group. “We go every weekend. It’s a small group, but we have a great time exploring trails near the city. You should come!”
At first, Aarav was unsure. Hiking didn’t seem like something his current group would ever be interested in. But, wanting a change from the routine, he decided to give it a shot.
That weekend, Aarav found himself on a hilltop just outside the city, surrounded by nature and a few other hikers. The fresh air, the open skies, and the calmness of the trail cleared his mind in a way that nothing had for months.
Manish and the others didn’t care about social appearances or popularity. No one was trying to impress anyone; they laughed freely, shared stories, and soaked in the beauty of nature. They were focused on enjoying the moment, cracking silly jokes, and simply being themselves. Aarav felt no pressure to fit in, and for the first time in a while, he felt free.
“Look at that view!” Manish shouted, pointing to a breathtaking panorama of rolling hills and valleys. Aarav felt a smile break through him. For the first time in a long while, he felt alive, as if the weight of expectations had lifted.
As the sun began to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, Aarav stood at the edge of a cliff, looking out at the horizon. The warmth of the sun bathed him in a golden glow. In that moment, he felt a wave of realization wash over him. Happiness didn’t lie in the approval of others; it thrived within, waiting to be discovered.
As the weeks passed, Aarav began to spend less time worrying about his old group. He joined a music club on campus, where he rediscovered his passion for playing the guitar. He also started studying harder, focusing on his future rather than trying to keep up with others.
One afternoon, Aarav passed his old friends in the canteen. They barely noticed him, and for once, he didn’t care. He had stopped relying on their validation to feel good about himself.
That evening, after another thrilling hike, Aarav returned home and picked up his guitar. The strings felt familiar beneath his fingers, and he began to strum a melody that spoke of self-discovery and strength. He poured his soul into the music, creating a song that resonated with his journey.
He had learned something important: happiness wasn’t about
fitting in with others. It was about being comfortable in your own skin, doing
what you love, and trusting yourself. Aarav had become his own master, and that
was his real victory.