📍 Later That Week – Group Project Time
Students were scattered across the media lab. Laptops open, coffee cups everywhere.
But all eyes kept drifting toward one particular corner of the room.
Niyati and Ayaan.
She was typing. Focused. Calm.
Ayaan? Leaning too close. Smiling too much.
______
Ayaan (smirking):"You know… if I keep working with you, I might start topping the class too."
Niyati (not even looking up):"I’d advise you to aim lower. That way you won’t be disappointed."
Laughter around them.
Students loved when Niyati threw shade.
But not everyone was laughing.
---
📍 Just Outside the Lab – Reyansh watching from the glass door
Expression unreadable.
Jaw locked.
He stepped inside, casually. Too casually.
Reyansh:“Miss Roy, Mr. Sharma. Update?”
Ayaan (overconfident):“We’ve covered the theory. Just compiling slides now—Niyati’s basically handling all the genius stuff.”
Reyansh (flatly):“Genius needs structure. Bring the file to me. Now.”
Niyati (getting up, holding pen drive):“On it.”
---
📍 In His Cabin – Moments Later
She placed the pen drive on his desk.
Reyansh (without looking at her):“You let him do nothing?”
Niyati:“I let him exist. That’s his maximum potential.”
He exhaled—was that a smirk?
Reyansh (finally looking up):“You think you’re clever.”
Niyati (stepping closer):“No. I know I’m clever. You’re the one still figuring it out.”
His stare hardened.
Reyansh:“You talk like you know how to win battles.”
Niyati (tilting her head):“I only fight the ones I know I’ll win.”
Click.
Tension. Instant.
Like a string pulled too tight.
---
📍 Later That Evening – Canteen
Ishika watched from across the room.
She couldn’t stand it anymore.
Niyati was stealing attention without trying.
So she stood up. Walked toward the whiteboard near the canteen, used by students for announcements or quotes.
Picked up a marker. And wrote:
> “Sleeping your way to the top? Or just being quiet enough to be noticed?”
– Anonymous
People stopped. Whispered. Some laughed.
Some gasped.
But everyone knew—who that was aimed at.
---
📍 Next Morning – Class Begins
The whiteboard quote had already made it to Instagram stories.
Niyati entered.
Students glanced.
Whispered.
She didn’t break stride.
Didn’t even look up.
But Reyansh?
He entered 5 minutes later.
Read the quote.
Didn’t say a word.
But mid-lecture, he suddenly snapped the chalk in half.
---
Reyansh (calmly):“Let’s be clear. If anyone here believes rumors win over work—leave.
Because in my class, brains speak louder than whispers.”
His eyes flicked once—only once—toward Niyati.
And in that moment, she knew.
> He saw it.
He understood.
He didn’t say it.
But he would remember.
---
To be continued…
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