Rhea's pov
The class was unusually quiet when the teacher walked in with the answer sheets.
That alone was suspicious.
"Overall performance was… interesting," she said, adjusting her glasses.
My name wasn't supposed to come up first. It never did. I sat back, listening as marks were announced—some cheers, some groans, Samar already calculating how much scolding he'd get at home.
Then—
"First rank: Kabir."
No surprise there.
A few claps. Some eye-rolls. Kabir just nodded once, like he'd expected nothing less.
"And second rank…"
She paused. Too long.
"Rhea."
Silence.
Actual, proper silence.
I blinked. Once. Twice. Neel slowly turned to look at me like I'd just confessed a crime.
"Excuse me—what?" Samar whispered.
The teacher cleared her throat, clearly caught off-guard herself. "Yes. Rhea has performed… very well. Consistently."
That pause hurt more than it should've.
Another teacher walked in, heard the names, and smiled awkwardly. "Ah. Kabir and… Rhea. Yes. Very good. Unexpected, but very good."
Unexpected.
Kabir glanced back at me this time. Not confused. Just a small, respectful nod. I nodded back, still processing.
Then chaos erupted.
Samar slapped the desk. "SECOND RANK?!"
Neel stood up. "This is fraud. I demand a re-check."
Before I could stop them, both of them rushed over, dragging Kabir into it.
High-fives everywhere.
"Backbenchers rising!" Samar yelled.
Neel grinned at Kabir. "You study like that and sit with us? Criminal behaviour."
Kabir actually smiled. A little. First time I'd seen it.
Teachers tried restoring order, failing miserably.
"Yes yes, congratulations," one said stiffly. "Now please sit—"
Too late.
The class buzzed. Teasing flew. Someone shouted, "Toppers from the back bench?!"
I laughed. Couldn't help it.
For once, the praise didn't feel heavy. It felt… earned.
And somewhere between the high-fives, the noise, and the awkward teacher smiles, I realised—
This chaos?
Yeah. I liked being part of it.
The bell rang, but no one moved.
The classroom was buzzing—whispers sliding into open talk, heads turning our way, curiosity thick in the air. Teachers tried to regain control, but the damage was done. Names had been spoken. Ranks declared. Order disrupted.
Kabir sat back down like nothing had happened.
I couldn't.
Samar and Neel were still riding the high, grinning like they'd personally topped the exam.
"Second rank," Samar repeated loudly, just to hear it again. "Say it once more, Rhea. Slowly."
"Shut up," I muttered, but my smile betrayed me.
As soon as the teacher stepped out, all restraint vanished.
Someone from the middle rows shouted, "Canteen! Treat!"
"From Kabir," Neel added instantly.
Kabir finally reacted. "Why me?"
"Because first rank," Samar said, like it was obvious. Then he pointed at me. "And because second rank."
I shook my head. "I didn't agree to this."
"Too late," Neel said. "Democracy."
It wasn't democracy. It was bullying. Friendly, loud bullying.
The Canteen
The canteen hadn't seen this much life in weeks.
Backbenchers took over a corner table—bags dumped, chairs dragged noisily. Samar ordered like he was funding the place, Neel arguing about quantities. Someone started clapping for no reason. Someone else joined.
"Toppers!" a voice called.
I sank lower in my seat.
Kabir stood awkwardly near the table, hands in his pockets, clearly out of his comfort zone. He wasn't used to noise like this—not noise that celebrated him.
Neel nudged him. "Smile, man. You look like you're attending a funeral."
Kabir rolled his eyes but complied. Barely.
Snacks arrived. Samosas. Cold drinks. Shared plates, no counting. For once, marks weren't being compared—they were being mocked.
Samar raised his glass dramatically. "To the backbenchers who apparently study in their sleep."
Laughter erupted.
I laughed too—but somewhere between the noise and the teasing, I noticed the looks.
Not all of them happy.
Whispers from nearby tables.
Glances.
A few tight smiles.
"You?" they seemed to ask. "Second rank?"
The realization hit harder than expected.
Neel noticed first. "Ignore them," he said casually. "They'll find something new to gossip about by tomorrow."
I nodded, but the knot in my chest didn't ease.
Kabir caught my expression. His eyes lingered for a second longer than necessary—quiet, observant.
When Samar dragged Neel away to get more food, Kabir spoke.
"You okay?"
It was simple. Not dramatic. Somehow, that made it worse.
"I think so," I said. Then, honestly, "I didn't expect this."
"Neither did they," he replied, glancing at the crowd.
There was no bitterness in his voice. Just fact.
The Quiet Moment
Later—when the canteen thinned out, laughter dulled, and people drifted back in groups—I stepped out to the corridor for air.
It was cooler there. Quieter.
Kabir was already standing near the railing, looking down at the courtyard.
"Of course you are," I said softly.
He turned. "Too loud?"
I nodded. "Too much."
We stood in silence for a while. Not awkward. Just… still.
"You earned it," he said suddenly.
I looked at him. "You don't have to say that."
"I know," he replied. "That's why I did."
That caught me off guard.
For a moment, it wasn't first rank and second rank. It wasn't toppers and backbenchers. It was just two students who'd survived their first real test.
Below us, Samar's laughter echoed faintly. Neel's voice followed.
Chaos, waiting to pull us back in.
I exhaled. "Guess this changes things."
Kabir shook his head. "Only if we let it."
Then—something rare—he smiled. Fully this time.
And for the first time since exams began, I felt steady.
Not because I'd ranked high.
But because I wasn't alone in it.