The tension in the business lecture hall was palpable. Shumaila and Sneha exchanged glances as they entered, instantly spotting Taniya and her group seated smugly near the front.
The day's lecture was on "Market Strategy vs. Consumer Psychology", and their professor had decided to hold an open debate.
And of course, Sneha got paired against one of Taniya's close friends—Anaya Malhotra, known for her arrogance and cutthroat debating skills.
Shumaila leaned in and whispered, "She's Taniya's puppet. But I trust you to shred her to pieces."
Sneha smirked. "Watch me."
The professor gave the cue, and the debate began.
Anaya started strong, laying out her points on why aggressive market strategies ensured dominance in business, using examples of major corporations that had crushed their competition.
The class murmured in approval. She was good.
But Sneha? She was better.
She countered every single one of Anaya's points with sharp logic, emphasizing how understanding consumer psychology was the key to long-term brand loyalty.
Her voice was steady, her delivery flawless, and by the time she was done, even the professor was nodding in approval.
Shumaila folded her arms, watching with pride.
By the end of the debate, the professor clapped once and said, "Excellent arguments, but Sneha's analysis stood out. She wins this round."
Taniya and Anaya's expressions? Priceless.
Sneha walked back to her seat, victorious. "That was fun."
Shumaila chuckled. "For you. Taniya looks like she's planning your murder."
Sneha only smirked.
Hallway Confrontation: Taniya's Minions Strike Again
Later that day, Shumaila, Sneha, and Siddarth were making their way towards the university's playground, where the rest of their group was waiting.
But as they turned a corner, Taniya and her minions blocked their path—and this time, Karan Malhotra was standing among them.
Shumaila's eyes narrowed. "Wow, a whole welcome party? I'm honored."
Taniya crossed her arms, fake sympathy dripping from her tone. "It's just unfortunate, you know? Every time you try to show off, you end up proving why you don't belong at the top."
Sneha scoffed. "If winning debates and being smarter than you counts as showing off, then sure."
Taniya's smirk twitched, but she quickly masked her irritation. "You got lucky today. Don't think you'll always win."
Before Sneha could retort, Shumaila stepped forward, her voice dropping into something far more dangerous.
"You must be feeling really insecure if you need a whole gang just to corner three people," she said smoothly, her gaze flickering toward Karan for a split second.
He hadn't said a word. He was just standing there, watching.
And for a brief moment, Shumaila caught his eyes, and something unreadable flickered across his expression.
But then, he looked away. Dismissive. Like she wasn't worth his attention.
She shrugged. Whatever.
Siddarth, who had been silent until now, took a step forward. "If you're done wasting our time, we have better places to be."
Taniya's expression darkened, but before she could say anything else, Shumaila tilted her head. "You should leave now, Taniya. You wouldn't want to cause a scene, would you?"
That did the trick. Taniya's face twisted in anger, but with an annoyed scoff, she turned on her heel. "Come on," she snapped at her group.
As they walked away, Karan lingered for a second before finally following them.
Sneha let out a dramatic sigh. "Ugh, I swear, Taniya is like a mosquito. Annoying and always buzzing around."
Siddarth cracked a grin. "You handled her well, though."
Shumaila smirked. "As always."
And with that, they continued toward the playground.
By the time they reached the university's playground, the rest of the group was already waiting.
Aarav, Akansha, Komal, and Rudra were seated in a loose circle on the grass, chatting easily.
But what surprised Shumaila the most was the sight of Hamza sitting there too, looking half-annoyed, half-bored.
Her brows lifted. "Wow, I didn't know you socialized."
Hamza glanced up, unimpressed. "I don't. Rudra forced me."
Rudra grinned, throwing an arm around Hamza's shoulder. "He loves us. He just doesn't know it yet."
Shumaila snickered. "I'd rather believe aliens exist."
Hamza rolled his eyes. "I'd rather be abducted by them."
Before their usual bickering could escalate, Sneha clapped her hands. "Alright, children. Let's focus."
The mood turned serious as the trio recounted what had happened in class and in the hallway.
Akansha frowned. "Taniya really doesn't know when to quit."
Komal, who had already had her own run-in with Taniya's circle, muttered, "She just hates losing."
Aarav, ever the observer, glanced at Shumaila. "What about Karan? He was there, right?"
Shumaila shrugged. "He didn't say much. Just stood there, watching."
Something in the way she said it made Akansha glance at her curiously.
But before anyone could say anything else, Siddarth leaned back on his hands, smirking. "At least we're keeping things entertaining around here."
Rudra chuckled. "With this group? There's never a dull moment."
And as the sun set behind them, casting long shadows across the university grounds, the group sat together.