The glow of their small victory at First Pitch Day still lingered in the air as Aruna, Reza, and Naya gathered in their favorite corner café, the smell of strong coffee and old wood grounding them back into reality.
"One small win doesn't mean we've made it," Aruna said, tapping her fingers against the mug. "We still have a long, long road ahead."
Reza leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "At least we proved the concept. People were interested. That has to count for something."
Naya flipped open her notebook, scribbling down ideas. "It counts. But if we want to take Veloria seriously, we need real guidance. Feedback from someone who's actually done this before."
There was a brief pause. They all knew it-they were enthusiastic, but also painfully aware of their inexperience. They needed someone who had walked the path they were about to tread.
That's when the name first came up Giselle Laurent.
She was a known figure in the local startup ecosystem, a sharp investor with a reputation for molding promising but chaotic teams into scalable, real businesses. Rumor had it she was tough, brutally honest, but if you could survive her mentorship, your company would thrive.
"She's holding open office hours this week," Naya said, eyes sparkling with a mix of fear and excitement. "Should we... go?"
Aruna hesitated. Something about surrendering control to someone else, especially someone with a reputation for being rigid, didn't sit right with her. But when she caught Reza's determined gaze and Naya's hopeful smile, she knew the answer was already decided.
Two days later, they found themselves in a sleek, minimalistic co-working space in downtown Veloria. Everything was glass, steel, and expensive-looking furniture. It felt like walking into another universe compared to their humble rented desk space.
And there she was Giselle. In her early thirties, sharp black suit, a neat bob haircut, and a piercing gaze that seemed to strip away any illusion you had about yourself in seconds.
When it was their turn, Aruna stepped forward to introduce the team. Giselle barely nodded before saying, "Pitch. Now."
Caught a little off guard, Aruna launched into the explanation of Veloria how it was meant to bridge the gap between outdated education systems and the digital economy, offering real-world, skill-based learning platforms.
Giselle listened, arms folded, silent.
When Aruna finished, the room hung in heavy silence before Giselle finally spoke. "Your idea has potential," she said bluntly. "But your current execution is amateur at best."
Reza stiffened. Naya flushed red. Aruna bit the inside of her cheek, forcing herself to stay calm.
"You need structure," Giselle continued, flipping through their prototype mockups with a critical eye. "Leadership. Focus. You cannot just vibe your way into a successful company."
And just like that, Giselle offered them a deal she would invest a small seed amount into Veloria, and in exchange, she would act as their hands-on mentor. Very hands-on.
Aruna hesitated. Everything about Giselle screamed control, structure, precision the exact opposite of the free-flowing, creative chaos that had brought Veloria to life. But deep down, she knew without someone like Giselle, their dream might never survive outside the walls of that cozy coffee shop.
"Let's think about it," Aruna said diplomatically, standing up.
Giselle's mouth curled into the faintest hint of a smirk. "Don't take too long. Opportunities don't wait."
That night, the three of them gathered again at their usual spot.
"I don't like her," Aruna said immediately.
"I mean, yeah," Reza admitted. "She's... intense."
Naya sighed, doodling circles on a napkin. "But she's offering us something real. A chance to actually build this right."
Aruna leaned back, staring at the ceiling. Every fiber of her being resisted the idea of submitting to someone else's rigid structure. Yet a small voice inside whispered: You need this.
Veloria wasn't just a dream anymore. It was becoming something real and real things needed foundations, not just passion.
Finally, Aruna let out a long breath. "Fine. We'll accept. But we do it on our terms too. We don't let her erase what made Veloria special."
Reza raised his glass. "To clarity."
Naya clinked her cup against his. "To growing pains."
Aruna smiled wryly and joined them. "To surviving Giselle."
Outside the café, the city lights of Veloria shimmered, full of possibilities and challenges they hadn't even begun to imagine.