Navya's POV:
I solve problems with code.
If something breaks, there is always a reason.
If there's an error, there's always a fix.
People, unfortunately, don't work that way.
That's why standing on a stage terrifies me more than debugging at 3 a.m.
My hands were cold when I held the mic.
My legs—God—if anyone looked closely, they'd see them shaking.
Don't show it.
That was the only thought running in my head.
The AI medical camp auditorium was bigger than I expected. Doctors. Professors. Students from different streams. My team sat behind me, trusting me with the opening presentation.
I adjusted my dupatta, inhaled, and began.
"Our project focuses on early diagnosis using machine learning—"
My voice sounded… steady.
I almost didn't believe it belonged to me.
Slides changed. Words flowed. Muscle memory took over.
I spoke about datasets, algorithms, prediction accuracy.
And then—
I felt it.
That strange heaviness in the air.
Like someone was watching—not casually, but intentionally.
I lifted my eyes.
That's when I saw him.
Arjun.
I knew his name before I ever saw his face.
I had searched hospital records for weeks—who would attend, who would evaluate, who mattered. His name stood out everywhere. Brilliant doctor. Record-holder. Academic topper. National-level basketball player. The kind of person people whisper about with admiration.
But nothing prepared me for his eyes.
Dark. Focused. Unmoving.
He wasn't watching the slides.
He was watching me.
My heart skipped. My breath stuttered for half a second.
Focus, Navya.
I finished the presentation without letting my fear show on my face.
Only my hands knew the truth. Only my legs.
Applause followed.
I nodded, thanked them, and walked off the stage before my courage could abandon me completely.
I didn't look at him again.
I couldn't afford to.
I left the camp early. My exam mattered. My life mattered.
Still—
On the bus back to college, his eyes followed me.
Not literally.
But in my mind.
I opened my notes. Tried to revise. Tried to be normal.
He was breathtakingly handsome, yes—but more than that, there was something unsettling about the way he looked at me.
Like he hadn't just seen a presentation.
Like he'd seen me.
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Arjun's POV:
I've always been good at observing.
On the court, I read players before they move.
In academics, I see patterns before others notice the question.
People think brilliance is loud.
It isn't.
It's precise.
That's why I noticed her immediately.
Not when she spoke.
Before that.
Curly hair. Half-up. Floral clip—out of place in a room full of sterile whites and sharp suits. Simple kurti. Jeans. No effort to impress.
Ordinary.
And yet—
Her posture gave her away.
Stage fear. Severe.
Hands tense. Weight shifting slightly. Breath controlled intentionally.
She was terrified.
But she didn't run.
She spoke.
Clear. Structured. Honest.
I stopped listening to the content halfway through.
Instead, I studied her.
How she paused before answering complex points.
How her eyes flicked to the slide before returning to the audience.
How she avoided looking at me—until she didn't.
When our eyes met, something clicked.
Recognition.
She knew who I was.
That interested me more than her project.
After the presentation, she was gone.
I waited.
Her team came next—repeating the same project with different voices. Competent. Knowledgeable.
But it wasn't the same.
When the clarification round started, I asked questions.
They answered.
Correctly.
Still unsatisfying.
"Who presented first?" I asked.
They exchanged glances. "Our teammate, sir."
"What's her name?"
"Navya."
I repeated it silently.
Navya.
The name settled somewhere it shouldn't have.
"Why isn't she here?"
"She has an exam today, sir. She'll come tomorrow and clarify your doubts."
Tomorrow.
Good.
I leaned back in my chair, already knowing something they didn't.
She thought she gave a presentation and left.
She thought this was over.
It wasn't.
Because I don't study subjects once.
And Navya—
She wasn't just a computer science student.
She was a variable I hadn't accounted for.
And I don't ignore variables.
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