St. Xavier's College, Monday Morning
The sun barely peeked through the morning fog as students flooded through the college gates. Among them was Neel Sharma—the real Neel Sharma, not Akanksha Oberoi, not "A."
He wore a simple black hoodie with jeans, his backpack slung over one shoulder, earphones plugged in. He didn't talk to many people at college. He preferred it that way.
As he walked toward the Science building, he saw her.
Shanaya Rajput.
Neel's jaw clenched automatically. There she was—perfectly dressed, surrounded by her group of friends, laughing loudly about something. Everything about Shanaya irritated Neel. Her confidence, her popularity, the way she seemed to glide through college life effortlessly.
They had been rivals since first year. It started over a debate competition where both wanted to be the lead speaker. Then it was the college fest organizing committee. Then grades. Then everything became a competition.
"Ugh, not her again," Neel muttered under his breath, taking a different path to avoid crossing Shanaya's group.
Meanwhile, Shanaya's POV
"...and then he said he'd never watched that movie! Can you believe it?" Shanaya's friend Priya was saying, but Shanaya wasn't really listening.
She'd spotted Neel walking by, deliberately avoiding them.
Of course he's avoiding us, Shanaya thought with a mix of annoyance and something else she couldn't name. Mr. I'm-Too-Good-To-Talk-To-Anyone.
Shanaya didn't know why, but everything about Neel got under her skin. The way he was always so quiet and mysterious. The way professors praised his assignments. The way he won the poetry competition last month when Shanaya had been so sure she'd win.
"Earth to Shanaya?" Priya waved a hand in front of her face.
"Huh? Yeah, sorry, what?"
"You were glaring at Neel again."
"I was not glaring. I was just... looking."
"Sure, whatever you say," Priya smirked.
The Competition Board
By afternoon, both of them stood in front of the notice board outside the Student Council office. A new announcement glowed in bright red letters:
ANNUAL INTER-COLLEGE DEBATE COMPETITION
Topic: "Technology Connects Us or Isolates Us?"
St. Xavier's will send TWO representatives
Trials: This Friday
They read it at the same time. Their eyes met for a brief second—a flash of recognition, rivalry, and determination.
"I'm participating," Shanaya said loudly to her friends, but her eyes were still on Neel.
"Obviously, me too," Neel replied coolly, meeting her gaze.
The air between them crackled with competitive tension.
"May the best speaker win," Shanaya said with a tight smile.
"Already planning to," Neel shot back.
They walked away in opposite directions, neither realizing they'd go home and vent about this exact moment to the same person—each other.
That Night: Two Screens, One Conversation
S to A:
S: A, you won't believe what happened today
A: What happened?
S: There's this guy in my college. He's so annoying
A: Lol why?
S: He just... exists and it irritates me
S: We're both participating in this debate competition and I KNOW he's going to make it difficult
A: Maybe he's not as bad as you think?
S: Trust me, he is. He's always so cold and distant. Like he thinks he's better than everyone
A: Or maybe he's just introverted?
S: Whose side are you on?? 😤
A: Yours, always yours 😂
A: But maybe try to see it from his perspective?
S: Fine, fine. But only because you asked
A to S:
A: S, I need to rant
S: Go ahead, I'm here
A: There's this girl at my college who drives me CRAZY
S: Oh no, what did she do?
A: Nothing specific. Everything she does just... annoys me
A: And now we're both competing for the same debate competition
S: Maybe you two are more alike than you think?
A: NO. We're nothing alike
A: She's loud, popular, always surrounded by people
S: And you're quiet, prefer being alone, keep to yourself
A: Exactly
S: Ever think maybe she envies that about you?
A: Why would she envy me?
S: Because not everyone who's surrounded by people feels less lonely, A
A: ...that's deep
A: When did you become so wise?
S: I have my moments 😊