Aina adjusts her hair for the hundredth time while her heart races faster than the car speeding through the city traffic. Her final year project exhibition is today — the day she has waited for, worked for, and stressed for. And now, she is running late.
Her mother glances at her from the driver's seat, letting out an exasperated sigh. "Hurry up, Aina! We're already getting late!"
"Yes, Mom, just a second. I need to grab my extension cable. Sir told us to bring our own," Aina replies, stuffing the cable into her already overloaded bag.
Laptop, charger, USBs, extension cable — everything feels heavier today, not because of the weight, but because she is carrying it all alone.
Her best friend was supposed to be here. But life didn't always go as planned.
Aina had been lying comfortably on her bed, scrolling through Instagram, when her phone lit up. Seeing her best friend's name had made her smile instantly.
She answered the call, cheerful and curious. "Hey! You sound so happy! What's up?"
Her friend's voice came through, brimming with excitement. "Aina! I'm engaged!"
Aina sat up straight, her lips curving into a big smile. "What? Oh my God! Congratulations! That's amazing news!"
They spend the evening talking, laughing, and dreaming about wedding plans. Aina is genuinely happy for her — her best friend, her partner in everything, is finally stepping into a new chapter of life.
But only a few days later, another call comes. This time, her best friend's voice isn't glowing with excitement — it is soft, almost guilty.
"Aina... my wedding got finalized for next semester. I won't be able to do the final project with you."
Aina's heart drops. She pauses, swallowing the sudden tightness in her throat.
"Oh... I see," she whispers, forcing a small smile through the call.
Her partner, her friend, her only real company in university — gone.
From that day, Aina has no choice but to prepare everything by herself. The long nights, the heavy files, the awkward stares from classmates who know her friend has left. Everyone knows. Nobody says it, but the silence is enough.
And now here she is, sitting in the car on her big day, alone—with only her mother for company.
After half an hour of driving, they finally reached the university campus. But as soon as the car stops, Aina's heart sinks. Her classmates aren't here.
She steps out, scanning the crowd of students rushing between halls, carrying their own posters and equipment.
Her mother notices the look on her face. "What's wrong, Aina?"
Aina sighs. "I don't know which hall I have to go to. And Sarah isn't here yet."
"It's too hot outside. Sit back in the car until they arrive," her mother suggests, concern lacing her voice.
She gets back in the car, her heart juggling between stress and disappointment. The sun climbs higher, the clock ticks louder. Ten minutes pass like an eternity.
She stares out the window, her thoughts drowning in what-ifs and maybes. Suddenly, a voice snaps her out of it.
"Aina!"
She turns her head to see Sarah waving from the gate, her face lit with relief.
Aina quickly smiles and opens the car door, carefully managing her laptop bag and the rolled-up project poster.
Sarah isn't her best friend or someone particularly close — just a regular classmate, but one of the few people who has always been kind and easy to talk to, especially after her best friend left the university.
Sarah walks up with a bright smile. "Hey, Aina! You look beautiful today."
Aina, despite her messy morning, does look stunning. She wears a full black midi dress that frames her perfect figure, her waist-length curled hair softly dancing in the warm air. Her big, expressive eyes and light glowing makeup make her look effortlessly charming. Her soft pink lips curve into a small smile as she adjusts her things.
Aina adjusts the slipping poster in her hand as Sarah holds the door open for her. The hallway is buzzing with students, all busy setting up their booths, chatting, and laughing in little groups.
As they walk further inside, some familiar faces notice Aina and wave. A group of her classmates stands near one of the stalls, and as soon as they see her, the whispers start.
One of them, with a half-smile, calls out. "Aina, you're here! Doing all this alone, huh? That must be tough."
Another chimes in, "I still can't believe your partner left you at the end... that's so unfair."
Their words aren't meant to hurt, but each sentence feels like another reminder of her loneliness. Everyone in the class knows the story by now — how her best friend, the only person she truly trusted in university, dropped the project and disappeared from her life after getting engaged.
She can still remember that phone call like it happened yesterday:
"I'm getting married, Aina. I can't continue. I'm so sorry."
No matter how much time has passed, the wound is still fresh.
She gives them a small smile, trying to look unbothered, but deep inside her heart, it stings.
Sarah stands beside her, sensing the weight of the moment. "She handled everything like a pro," Sarah says quickly, trying to break the awkward silence, "the whole setup, the code, the presentation... all of it."
Aina lowers her eyes, her long lashes hiding the sadness that wants to escape.
"Yeah... I managed," she whispers.
But the truth is, it hasn't been easy at all.
Aina forces a polite smile, nodding at everyone as if their words don't matter, but deep down, her heart sinks a little.
She glances around the hall, watching other students laughing in pairs, adjusting banners, or fixing their code setups together — and there she is, standing alone, her laptop bag hanging from one shoulder, her poster curled at the edges, and her heart carrying the weight of doing everything on her own.
Sarah gives her arm a light squeeze and whispers. "Don't worry. You've done everything so well. Your hard work will shine today."
Aina looks at her, managing a soft smile. Even though her best friend has left, even though life has suddenly flipped upside down, she still has to stand tall.
She turns her gaze back to the hall, unaware that this very exhibition — the one she's been dreading — is about to change her life in ways she could never have imagined.