The Year We Almost Gave Up”

Chapter 1: Asha

The morning sun pierced through the cracked windowpane of Asha’s small room, spilling light onto her cluttered desk. Stacks of papers, half-used markers, and posters screamed slogans like “Stop the Chop” and “Save Our Forests.” She yawned, stretching her aching back as her phone buzzed.

Another tweet. Another comment. Another fire to put out.

“Asha! Breakfast!” Her father’s voice echoed through the house.

Her stomach churned. Breakfast meant another argument—another battle she wasn’t ready for this morning. But this was their routine. She, the idealistic environmentalist; he, the hardened logger who had worked in the forest for decades.

She picked up her phone instead, opening the group chat for Hope 2024, the global initiative she’d joined after hearing about it on a podcast.

Mei: “We need to brainstorm tonight. Fake news about the climate crisis is spreading faster than I can fact-check it. Anyone free at 8 PM?”

Oghuma: “I’m in. Just juggling a few things here. Let’s focus on what we can do, not just complain.”

Liam: “Agreed. I can’t talk long, though. I’ve got to find a way to stop my mum from selling the pub.”

Asha smiled faintly. These strangers—these voices from the other side of the world—felt more like allies than anyone in her own village.

She glanced at her unfinished poster: “Protect Our Future.”

Maybe she wasn’t crazy to think one person could make a difference.

Chapter 2: Liam

Rain hammered against the windows of O’Shea’s Pub as Liam cleaned pint glasses behind the bar. His mother, a stout woman with fiery red hair, was flipping through bills at the counter, her lips pressed into a thin line.

“We’re out of time, Liam,” she said without looking up. “If we don’t sell by the end of the month, the bank will take it all.”

He didn’t reply. What could he say? The pub had been in their family for three generations, but traditions didn’t pay the rent.

His phone vibrated in his pocket. A message from the Hope 2024 group.

Asha: “Let’s not forget why we joined. It’s not just about fixing the world—it’s about reminding ourselves that we still care.”

Liam smirked. Asha always had a way of pulling him out of his head. She didn’t know anything about him beyond his music, but her relentless optimism was infectious. He typed back:

“Fair enough. I’ll bring the ideas; you bring the energy.”

He slid the phone back into his pocket and stared at the pub’s peeling wallpaper. He didn’t have a plan yet, but he wasn’t about to give up—not on this place, and not on himself

Chapter 3: Mei

The glow of Mei’s computer screen illuminated her dim dorm room. Lines of code scrolled past as she tweaked the algorithm she was building for Hope 2024. She had spent months on this AI model, designed to detect fake news about climate change before it went viral.

Her best friend, Jia, leaned over her shoulder. “You’ve been at this all day. When’s the last time you ate?”

Mei shrugged. “When’s the last time you took me seriously?”

Jia frowned but didn’t argue. She grabbed a packet of instant noodles and placed it on Mei’s desk. “You’re doing great things, but don’t forget to take care of yourself, okay?”

Mei sighed as Jia left the room. She typed a quick message into the group chat:

“Hope you’re all ready for tonight’s meeting. The world’s a mess, but we’ve got work to do.”

She closed her laptop and leaned back in her chair. It wasn’t just the world she wanted to fix—it was the distance between her and Jia, the feeling that her dreams made her impossible to love.