It was the third week in her new college but Radha was still struggling. A shy and timid girl from the small town of Chikmagalur, Radha had moved to Bangalore to pursue her master’s degree in Economics. Although the idea of studying at a prestigious college excited her, the reality of being away from her family and the lack of confidence to talk to her classmates made her feel lonely and homesick.
She often found herself sitting quietly in class, not interacting much with her new classmates, her head down, avoiding eye contact. On most days, she found herself crying in the classroom or bathroom, overwhelmed by the newness of it all.
One morning, Radha’s classmate, Nisha, arrived to the classroom a little earlier than usual. The whole room was empty with only Radha sitting at her desk, her face buried in her arms, her shoulders shaking. Nisha wondered if she should ask Radha what was wrong. She hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. Wanting to respect her privacy, Nisha pretended not to notice and quietly took her seat.
In the next few weeks, Nisha paid a little more attention than usual to Radha. She kept her distance, not wanting to intrude. But it always seemed like Radha was under duress of some sort. She wondered what could be troubling Radha so much.
One afternoon, after finishing her classes for the day, Nisha was on her way home when she spotted Radha standing at the edge of the road, looking lost and unsure. The traffic was heavy and she seemed nervous about crossing the road. Without thinking, Nisha quickly walked up to her.
“Hey, Radha! Need some help?” she asked, her voice friendly.
Radha looked up, surprised. “Oh, hi, Nisha. I… I’m just trying to figure out how to cross this road,” she said, her voice soft.
Nisha smiled warmly and stepped forward. “Don’t worry, I’ll walk with you. I’m heading that way too.”
As they crossed the busy road, Nisha could see the usual gloom in Radha’s eyes. Once they reached the other side, Nisha casually said, “You know, I’ve been noticing you in class lately. Is everything okay? You seem a little… down.”
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