After an exhausting day filled with endless lectures, confrontations, and an unnecessary dose of drama, the girls finally made their way back to the dorms. Shumaila threw her bag onto the floor and collapsed onto her bed with a groan.
"Today was exhausting," she muttered, rubbing her temples.
Komal grinned as she pulled off her shoes. "At least Sneha completely obliterated Anaya in class."
Sneha smirked, stretching her arms. "As she deserved. Did you see her face? She was this close to throwing a tantrum."
Akansha, who had perched herself on the windowsill, let out a small chuckle. "Forget Anaya. The hallway confrontation was intense. Taniya really doesn't know when to quit."
"She's getting desperate," Shumaila said, sitting up. "She can't handle the fact that we don't cower before her."
Before the conversation could go further, a sharp ding from their phones interrupted them. It was a message from Rudra in their group chat.
Rudra:DINNER AT THE NEARBY RESTAURANT. NO EXCUSES. BE READY IN 30 MINUTES.
Shumaila exchanged looks with the girls before shrugging. "Guess we're going out."
The restaurant was bustling with students, the air filled with the scent of sizzling dishes and laughter from various groups. Their group had taken up a large table at the center, engaging in animated discussions about everything that had happened throughout the day. Plates were filled, drinks were poured, and the atmosphere buzzed with energy.
Siddarth leaned back in his chair. "So, Freshers' Party is next week. Excited?"
"Excited? Yes. Concerned? Also yes," Rudra replied. "It's being organized by the seniors, which means Taniya and her little army will have some control over it."
Aarav frowned. "You think they'll try something?"
Sneha tapped her fingers on the table. "It's an official event. They can't be too obvious. If they pull something, it'll be subtle."
"I wouldn't put anything past them," Shumaila muttered, stirring her drink absentmindedly. "We should keep our guards up."
"Or we can just not overthink it and enjoy the party," Komal suggested. "You guys are acting like we're walking into a battlefield."
"Well, aren't we?" Hamza finally spoke up, having remained quiet till now. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "If they try something, we'll deal with it. No point worrying in advance."
The table fell silent for a moment before Rudra clapped his hands together. "Alright, enough serious talk. Who's up for a spontaneous trip to the amusement park?"
The flashing neon lights of the amusement park made the entire place feel like a dream. The group stood at the entrance, taking in the sights and sounds of the excited crowd.
"Where to first?" Siddarth asked, rubbing his hands together eagerly.
"Rollercoaster," Komal said immediately, pointing toward the towering structure of the T-Express.
Unfortunately for Siddarth, fate decided to pair him with Komal, and as the rollercoaster took its first drop, his very confident demeanor was replaced by an ear-piercing scream, much to Komal's amusement.
"I told you," Komal said smugly as they stumbled off the ride, Siddarth still looking a little pale.
"I hate you," he muttered, making the group erupt into laughter.
Next came the spinning Cup Break Dance Ride, and somehow, in a cruel twist of fate, Shumaila and Hamza ended up sitting together.
The moment the ride started spinning wildly, Shumaila cackled in excitement while Hamza sat frozen, gripping the handlebar as if his life depended on it.
When it finally stopped, Shumaila turned to him with an innocent smile. "Are you okay? You look a little stiff."
Hamza exhaled, still gripping the seat. "I hate spinning rides."
Shumaila grinned. "Wow. This is great blackmail material."
Hamza shot her a deadly glare. "Say one word, and I swear—"
But his threat was cut off by the group's laughter.
They continued hopping from ride to ride until they reached the Haunted House. Sneha turned to Rudra with a smirk. "Bet you'll scream first."
Rudra scoffed. "You wish."
As soon as they entered, a jumpscare sent Sneha screaming—straight into Rudra's arms, using him as a human shield.
"TRAITOR!" Rudra yelped, trying to shake her off as she laughed.
At the back, a very unexpected thing happened—Shumaila grabbed onto Hamza's arm at a sudden scare.
Hamza blinked down at her. "Wow. And you were mocking me earlier?"
Realizing what she had done, Shumaila immediately pulled away, clearing her throat. "I—I tripped."
Hamza smirked. "Sure, you did."
The group finally exited the haunted house, everyone still laughing at each other's reactions.
Their last stop was the arcade, where Aarav and Akansha stood in front of the claw machine.
Aarav, after ten failed attempts, was still struggling to win a tiny teddy bear. Meanwhile, Akansha was standing there with three plushies already in her hands.
When Aarav finally won, he held up his prize like a trophy. "VICTORY!"
Akansha raised an eyebrow. "Took you long enough."
Rudra burst into laughter. "Meanwhile, Akansha looks like she just robbed the machine."
Akansha smirked, flipping her hair. "Talent."
The night ended with laughter, teasing, and a newfound closeness among the group. As they walked out of the amusement park, the stress of the day was forgotten—at least for now. But with the Freshers' Party looming ahead, the real chaos was yet to come.