It had been a month since Sitara joined the college, and she had done her best to stay out of the way of Anshita, Kabir, and their group. No matter how many times they tried to bully her, she held her ground. She had a goal—to make her father proud—and she wasn't going to let anyone break her spirit.

But it wasn't easy. Anshita and her friends constantly taunted her for her simplicity, her traditional dress, and her middle-class background. They sneered at her behind her back, and sometimes even to her face, but Sitara tried to ignore them. She reminded herself of the sacrifices her father had made to get her here, and she would not give up. She could endure their cruelty, even if it hurt.