It was a normal Saturday evening. I was sitting on my bed, scrolling through my phone, when a message popped up from Rashi, my old college friend.
“Hey! Can you do me a favor? I need someone to fill in for me at the open mic tonight. Just read something, anything. Please say yes!”
I stared at the message. Me? On stage? The last time I spoke in front of people was in school, and I forgot half my lines. My heart started beating faster just thinking about it. But Rashi had always helped me out, and I didn’t want to let her down.
So, without thinking too much, I typed, “Yes, I’ll do it.”
Right after I sent the message, I felt a wave of panic. What had I just agreed to? I didn’t even know what I was supposed to read. I called Rashi.
“Thank you, thank you!” she said, sounding relieved. “I’ll send you one of my poems. Just read it, please. You’ll be great!”
I wasn’t so sure about that, but it was too late to back out now.
I spent the next hour practicing Rashi’s poem in front of my mirror. My voice sounded shaky, and I kept stumbling over the words. My hands were sweaty, and my stomach felt like it was full of butterflies. I almost called Rashi to say I couldn’t do it, but then I remembered how many times she had helped me in college. I had to try.
When I reached Café Mosaic, the place was buzzing with people. Some were laughing, some were reading quietly, and others were practicing their own pieces. I felt completely out of place. I found a corner and tried to calm myself down.
Soon, the host called my name. My legs felt like jelly as I walked up to the stage. The lights were bright, and I could barely see the faces in the crowd. I took a deep breath and started reading.
At first, my voice was soft and shaky. I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears. But as I read, I started to feel the rhythm of the poem. The words flowed better, and I forgot about the people watching me. For a few minutes, it was just me and the poem.
When I finished, there was a long silence. I thought maybe I had messed up. But then, people started clapping. Some even cheered. I felt a rush of happiness and relief. I had done it!
Backstage, a woman came up to me. “That was beautiful! Are you a regular here?” she asked.
I shook my head. “No, this was my first time. I was just helping a friend.”
She smiled. “Well, you should come back. You have a nice voice for poetry.”
I left the café feeling lighter than I had in months. I texted Rashi, “You owe me big time. But thank you for making me do this.”
That night, I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking about how good it felt to be on stage, even though I was scared. The next day, I started writing my own poem. It wasn’t perfect, but it was mine.
The following month, I signed up for the open mic again. This time, I read my own poem. I was nervous, but not as much as before. When I finished, people clapped again. A few even came up to me and said they liked my poem.
Soon, I started going to the open mic every month. I made new friends who loved writing and poetry. We would meet at the café, share our work, and encourage each other. I even started a blog to post my poems online. One day, one of my poems got shared by a popular Instagram page. Suddenly, people from all over were reading my words and sending me messages.
But it wasn’t always easy. Some weekends, I felt tired and wanted to stay home. Sometimes, I got stuck and couldn’t write anything good. A few of my old friends didn’t understand why I was spending so much time on poetry. My parents worried that I was ignoring my studies and job.
There were days when I felt like giving up. Once, I forgot my lines on stage and had to leave early. I felt embarrassed and wanted to hide. But my new friends cheered me up and told me it happens to everyone.
Slowly, I learned to enjoy the ups and downs. I realized that saying “yes” to Rashi that night had changed my life. I had found something I loved, something that made me happy, even if it was hard sometimes.
A year later, I got an email from a small publisher. They wanted to publish a book of my poems. I couldn’t believe it! I called Rashi and we both screamed with excitement.
Looking back, I’m glad I said yes, even though I was scared. That one small word led me to new friends, new dreams, and a new life. Sometimes, the biggest changes come from the simplest choices.
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