Chapter 1: "You Can't Do It"
"You can't do it."
These words were not new to Kishori.
She had been hearing them since childhood.
In school, she was not the topper.
She was not the fastest speaker.
She was not the most confident girl in class.
Whenever the teacher asked a difficult question, her classmates quickly raised their hands. Kishori usually kept her head down.
One day, the teacher suddenly called her name.
"Kishori, come and solve this on the board."
Her heart started beating fast.
Her hands felt cold.
She walked slowly to the board and tried to solve the question.
She made a small mistake.
A few students laughed.
"See? She can't do it."
Her face turned red. She wished the ground would open and swallow her.
That day, she went home silently. She did not talk much during dinner.
At night, she stood in front of the mirror.
For a few seconds, she just looked at herself.
Then she whispered softly,
"Maybe I am not the best. But I am not useless."
That was the first time she defended herself.
And that small moment became the beginning of change.
Chapter 2: The Silent Promise.
The next morning, Kishori woke up earlier than usual.
She opened her books and started revising.
It was not easy.
She did not understand everything immediately.
Sometimes she felt sleepy.
Sometimes she felt frustrated.
But she kept going.
After school, while others watched television or used their phones, she practiced speaking loudly in front of the mirror.
"Good morning respected teachers…"
She repeated again and again.
No one knew about her efforts.
She did not announce her goals.
She did not argue with people who doubted her.
She simply worked in silence.
Weeks passed.
Her marks improved a little.
Not a big change.
But enough to give her hope.
For the first time, she felt that improvement was possible.
She realized something important:
Talent is good.
But effort is powerful.
Chapter 3: WHEN EVERYONE WAS WATCHING
One day, the teacher announced a school presentation competition.
"Two students will represent our class," she said.
When Kishori heard her name, she was shocked.
Some students whispered,
"Why her?"
"She will embarrass us."
Fear returned to her heart.
That evening, she told her father.
He listened carefully.
"Are you afraid?" he asked.
"Yes," she replied honestly.
He smiled gently and said,
"Winning is not important. But running away is not an option."
Those words stayed in her mind.
On the day of the competition, the auditorium was full.
Bright lights.
Many students.
Strict judges.
Her legs felt weak as she walked to the stage.
For a second, she wanted to go back.
But she remembered her father's words.
She took a deep breath and started speaking.
Her voice trembled at first.
She forgot one line.
But she did not stop.
She continued.
When she finished, there was applause.
She did not win any prize.
But she walked back to her seat with pride.
Because this time, she did not run away.
Chapter 4: The Night of Doubt
Board exams were coming soon.
Pressure increased everywhere.
Teachers reminded students daily,
"These exams will decide your future."
At home, Kishori noticed something else.
Her father looked more tired than usual.
He was working extra hours.
One night, she heard her parents talking.
"We have to manage expenses carefully," her mother said.
Her father replied,
"Her education is important. We will adjust."
Kishori felt emotional.
Her parents were sacrificing so much for her.
What if she failed?
What if she disappointed them?
That night, she sat at her desk but could not focus.
Tears filled her eyes.
"I am not strong enough," she thought.
For the first time in months, she thought about giving up.
She closed her books and lay on her bed.
But after some time, she sat up again.
She remembered the stage.
She remembered not quitting.
She wiped her tears and said,
"I may not be perfect. But I will try."
That night, she studied with determination.
Not because she was fearless.
But because she refused to quit.
Chapter 5: She Refused to Quit.
The exam days finally arrived.
Some papers were easy.
Some were difficult.
After each exam, students discussed answers loudly.
"I will score above 90%!"
"That paper was so simple!"
Kishori stayed quiet.
She knew she had done her best.
Then came result day.
Her hands were shaking as she checked her marks.
She did not get the highest score.
But she had improved a lot compared to last year.
She passed with good marks.
Tears filled her eyes — not of sadness, but of relief.
Her father looked at the result and smiled proudly.
"I knew you could do it," he said.
Kishori smiled softly.
The same girl who once believed "You can't do it"
had now proven something different.
Not to the world.
Not to her classmates.
But to herself.
She was not the topper.
She was not perfect.
But she was stronger than before.
And that was enough.
Because Kishori learned the most important lesson:
Success is not about being the best.
It is about refusing to quit.