Chapter 7
The Notebook of Dreams
Morning light slipped through the cracked window, painting pale lines across Vaibhav's small room.
His arms ached. His shoulders burned. His thighs felt like lead.
He smiled.
The pain was proof.
Proof that last night's secret calisthenics had happened. Proof that he had moved while the world slept. Proof that he had started something only he could see.
But the fire inside him wasn't satisfied.
His mind twitched, spun, danced like sparks.
"What next? What now? What should I do today? Tomorrow? Every day?"
He grabbed his old math notebook—half-filled, pages yellowed, corners chewed—and flipped to an empty page.
His hands moved without thinking.
---
To-Do List for Strength (Calisthenics + Life)
1. 50 Push-ups (split into sets)
2. 30 Squats
3. 5 Door Pull-ups (try!)
4. Plank 1 minute
5. Wrist curls with bricks—2 sets
6. Stretch shoulders, back, wrists (5 min)
7. Write daily diet plan
8. Google free height increase methods
9. No phone wasting. No reels. No anime till night.
---
He paused.
His pen tapped the paper.
Next page.
Cheap Desi Diet Plan (No Supplements)
Morning: 1 banana, soaked chana (if Ma gives), chapati (2)
School lunch: Whatever Ma packs (roti/dal) + water
Evening: Peanuts (buy secretly) or boiled chana
Dinner: Dal + rice/roti (no option)
Sleep early. No stress.
"Eggs... 6 rupees each... maybe once a week?" he scribbled.
"Milk... not possible daily."
"Paneer... festival only. Forget."
His heart felt heavy—but his pen kept moving.
Height Increase Methods (Google says)
Hanging from tree or door frame (2 min daily)
Cobra stretch
Jump rope (no rope... maybe imaginary?)
Sleep 7+ hours (if family stops shouting)
Eat protein (ha... cheap protein...)
He smirked at the last line.
The mirror didn't lie—he was small, thin, half-grown.
But something inside him was stretching.
Growing.
"Not height... but will."
He wrote one last line at the bottom.
---
Reminder:
**"No one is coming to help.
No gym.
No coach.
No money.
Only Me."**
---
For hours that day, when class got boring or whispers circled him under the neem tree, Vaibhav secretly opened the notebook, checking his plan, adding notes.
"Maybe push-ups after dinner?"
"Find a strong branch on the old ground to hang?"
"Peanuts from the uncle's shop—cheap protein."
"Sell old books for small cash... possible?"
A strange joy stirred in him.
For the first time, he wasn't lost.
He had a plan.
A map.
Even if no one saw it. Even if the world laughed.
"I may be weak now. But this book will change everything."
When the last bell rang, he held the notebook close.
A small treasure.
A silent rebellion.
A dream made of ink, sweat, and bruised fingers.
And somewhere far, beyond the noise of this tiny town... the future waited.
Unseen. Unknown. But not unreachable.
---