Rhea's Pov
The problem with rivalry is that it doesn't announce itself.
It just… sits there.
Watching.
Waiting.
By the time Academic League forms were handed out, the front bench already had their names mentally engraved on trophies.
Neil stared at the paper longer than necessary.
I noticed.
Because redemption looks confident from the outside—
but doubt always whispers louder inside.
"You're filling it, right?" Samar asked casually.
Neil didn't answer.
He folded the paper once. Then twice.
Kabir looked at him. "You should."
Neil scoffed lightly. "Against them? I barely made it once."
Ah.
There it was.
The crack.
I leaned forward. "So what? You think intelligence expires if you sit at the back?"
He didn't smile.
"I think," he said quietly, "I don't want to prove them right if I fail."
That sentence hit harder than any insult.
Failing hurts.
But failing after trying?
That terrifies people.
I stood up.
Bad things always start with me standing up.
Rhea vs Front Bench — Initiated by Choice
I walked straight to the front bench group.
Bold.
Public.
Unnecessary.
One of them smirked. "Lost your seat?"
"No," I said. "Just your attention."
They stiffened.
"I heard you're forming an Academic League team," I continued. "Must be nice. So… secure."
Another scoffed. "Some people know their limits."
I smiled brightly. "Some people confuse comfort with capability."
Kabir's chair scraped behind me.
He stood up.
That was new.
Kabir Takes a Stand (No Drama, Maximum Impact)
Kabir didn't raise his voice. Didn't insult anyone.
He just said, "Neil's joining."
One of them laughed. "Who decided that?"
Kabir met his eyes. "We did."
Silence.
Not awkward.
Not stunned.
Heavy.
"If this is about ego—" someone began.
Kabir cut in, calm but final. "It's about fairness. If you're confident, competition shouldn't scare you."
That landed.
Because confidence hates being questioned.
I glanced back.
Neil was staring at Kabir like he hadn't expected backup to arrive this quietly.
Later — Back Bench Reality
Neil filled the form slowly.
Then stopped.
"What if I can't keep up?" he muttered.
I leaned against the desk. "Then you struggle. Loudly. Publicly. Like the rest of us."
Kabir added, "Failure doesn't erase effort."
Samar nodded. "Also, imagine their faces if you don't fail."
Neil exhaled.
Then signed.
Just his name.
No flourish.
No drama.
But it felt bigger than that.
After School — The Quiet Moment
We were packing up.
Neil lingered.
"I'm not doing this to beat them," he said suddenly.
Kabir replied, "Good."
I raised an eyebrow. "Then why?"
Neil met my eyes. "Because I don't want to hate myself for staying quiet again."
I smiled—not teasing this time.
"That's the right reason."
Rhea's Thought (End Note)
Rivalries aren't born from hatred.
They're born when someone realises
they don't want to stay small anymore—
and someone else can't stand watching that happen.
Neil wasn't loud.
Kabir wasn't flashy.
But together?
They scared people who were used to winning without resistance.
And me?
I was already planning how to make it worse.🤪