Chapter 3: First Night Alone

The first night alone hits different.

No familiar voices.
No "gate band kar dena".
Just me, a small room, and the sound of my own breathing.

I double-checked the lock 3 times.
Pulled the blanket till my chin.
And stared at the ceiling like it would tell me a story.

Fear came first.
"What if something happens? What if I get sick? What if I cry?"

Then hunger came.
At 11 PM I went downstairs for chai.
The chai wale bhaiya smiled and said, "Pehli baar akeli ho na? Dar lagta hai."

I nodded.
He gave me extra ginger in the chai. "Isse himmat aati hai."

That night I wrote in my diary:
"I am scared. But I am also proud."
Proud that I didn’t run back home.
Proud that I chose myself.

When I switched off the light, the room was dark.
But inside me, a small diya lit up.

Chapter three taught me:
Courage is not the absence of fear.
Courage is drinking chai with shaking hands and still staying.

I came here to see new places.
I ended up meeting the bravest version of myself.

🖇️🧿 Question 🧿🖇️

Tumhari "First Night Alone" kaisi thi?
Sabse zyada dar kis baat ka laga tha?
Comment me batao 🥺👇