Alka: (Wrestling with a massive tote bag that hits Adrian's shoulder) "Ayo[oops], sorry! My bad. This bag has a vendetta against anyone wearing a high-quality blazer. It's a heat-seeking missile for expensive fabrics."
Adrian: (Not looking up from his journal, leaning away with practiced poise) "I'd appreciate it if you could negotiate a ceasefire with your luggage before we reach cruising altitude. My blazer would like to remain un-assaulted for the duration of the flight."
Alka: (Finally shoving the bag under the seat and plopping down) "Ente daivame, relax, Blazer. I'm Alka. I'm mostly harmless unless you're a fan of silence or predictable outcomes."
Adrian: (Closing his journal and giving her a measured look) "I am a fan of both, actually. And I'm Adrian. I suspect 'harmless' is a gross statistical inaccuracy."
Alka: "Ouch. 'Statistical inaccuracy'? You're one of those. Let me guess: you have an app that tracks your deep sleep and you find puns deeply offensive."
Adrian: "I find inefficiency offensive. Puns are just a minor structural flaw in language. And for the record, I don't need an app to know I'm not going to get any sleep on this flight now."
Alka: (Grinning as she pulls out a tangled nest of charging cables) "Smart man. Since you're clearly some kind of professional talker—lecturer? Consultant? Corporate shadow?—give me some free advice. I'm heading back for my final year of college, and we've got a new professor for our hardest module. How do I 'manage' a man who probably thinks fun is a four-letter word?"
Adrian: (A brief, curious pause) "Manage him? You're already planning a coup before the first syllabus is even handed out?"
Alka: "It's not a coup, it's... tactical positioning. I want to make an impression that says: 'I am the smartest person in your splash zone.' How do I win over a guy who likely eats textbooks for breakfast?"
Adrian: (He leans back, tapping his pen against his chin) "If he's anything like me? Don't try to 'win him over' with charm. We're immune to that. Show him you can find the one outlier in a data set that everyone else missed. Intellectual competence is the only currency that matters to a 'stiff' like that."
Alka: (Smirking) "So, basically, I have to out-nerd the nerd. I can do that. I'll just find a gap in his logic and drive a bus through it. By the end of the first week, he'll be asking me for my notes."
Adrian: "Confidence is a dangerous variable, Alka. It can either be your greatest asset or your quickest route to a failing grade. If you're going to 'drive a bus' through his logic, make sure you know how to drive first."
Monday Morning: Economics Block, Room 402
The lecture hall was buzzing. Alka slipped through the door exactly eight minutes after the bell, a steaming filter coffee in one hand.
Alka: (Whispering to her friend) " Did the new guy arrive yet? Is he as 'Blazer-and-Boredom' as I predicted?"
Friend: (Face pale, gesturing frantically) "Alka... Nikk nikk! [ stop, stop] Look at the board."