The Computer Science department was buzzing with the usual pre-lecture chaos—students scrambling to find seats, last-minute discussions about assignments, and the occasional sound of rapid typing as someone tried to finish their code before the professor arrived.
Rudra plopped down in his usual seat, stretching his arms behind his head. "Another thrilling day of brain-melting lectures," he muttered to Hamza, who was already setting up his laptop, his expression unreadable as always.
Hamza barely spared him a glance. "If you paid attention, your brain wouldn't melt."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Rudra muttered, leaning back in his chair.
Just then, the classroom door swung open, and in walked Karan Malhotra—the university's golden boy. Captain of the football team, good looks, and annoyingly overconfident.
The moment he entered, whispers followed. A few girls giggled as he passed by, and some guys nodded in respect.
Hamza, however, remained unimpressed, his gaze fixed on his screen.
Karan's eyes landed on him, a smirk forming as he strolled over. "So you're Hamza Khan," he said, placing his bag down on the desk beside him.
Hamza didn't bother looking up. "Observant, aren't you?"
Rudra snickered under his breath, already sensing the tension.
Karan chuckled, undeterred. "I've heard about you. The so-called 'top coder' of our batch." He leaned in slightly. "Let's see if you actually live up to the hype."
Hamza finally turned his head, meeting Karan's challenging gaze. "I don't need validation from a guy who spends more time kicking a ball than writing actual code."
Rudra coughed to cover up his laughter. The students around them had started paying attention now, sensing the rivalry brewing.
Karan's smirk didn't waver. "Funny. We'll see who's better when the next coding competition happens."
Hamza leaned back in his chair. "Looking forward to crushing you."
Before Karan could respond, the professor walked in, effectively ending their conversation—for now.
Post-Class: Rudra & Sneha's Meeting
After the class ended, Hamza disappeared as usual, not one to linger unnecessarily. Rudra, on the other hand, made his way toward the university's courtyard, where Sneha was waiting for him.
She leaned against a pillar, scrolling through her phone. When she spotted Rudra, she raised an eyebrow. "You look like you've just seen a war."
Rudra groaned dramatically. "I have."
Sneha smirked. "Let me guess—Hamza and his 'I'm-smarter-than-everyone' attitude?"
"Nope, today's special." He leaned closer. "We have a new challenger: Karan Malhotra."
Sneha's brows shot up. "The football guy?"
"The same." Rudra sighed. "He and Hamza had some intense eye-contact war in class. I swear, I thought they were about to throw their laptops at each other."
Sneha chuckled. "So, Karan sees Hamza as a competitor now?"
"Apparently," Rudra said, rolling his eyes. "And you know Hamza—he isn't backing down."
Sneha smirked. "So basically, we have a full-fledged rivalry brewing?"
"Yup. And guess who's stuck between their 'who's-better' war?" Rudra gestured dramatically at himself.
Sneha laughed. "You love the drama. Admit it."
"Maybe," Rudra said, grinning. "But speaking of drama, what's up with your department? Business kids always have some kind of intense battle going on."
Sneha sighed. "After the whole Shumaila vs. Taniya thing, we're just waiting for the next disaster."
"Well, I'll be here to enjoy every second of it," Rudra teased.
Sneha rolled her eyes, but there was a fondness in her expression.
As they continued talking, their easy chemistry was undeniable—two best friends who never ran out of things to say.
But somewhere in the middle of their banter, Sneha couldn't help but notice something—the way Rudra always remembered the little things she mentioned, the way he always had time to meet her, even when he was swamped.
She shook the thought away. It's just Rudra.
Right?