The auditorium remained in stunned silence. The slap had landed, the truth had been revealed, and now, all that was left was the wreckage of everything that had transpired.
Professor Mehta exhaled sharply before turning to the rest of the panel. "This competition is officially canceled. Given the recent revelations, we will be conducting an internal investigation. All participants are dismissed."
A wave of murmurs rippled through the students. Some exchanged glances, others hesitated, but no one dared to oppose the decision. The weight of the situation was too heavy to ignore.
"Taniya, Riya, Nisha, and the rest of you involved," Professor Mehta's voice turned ice-cold, "Report to the administrative office. Now."
Taniya and her gang stood frozen, the impact of their exposure finally sinking in. They had no choice but to comply.
As the professors gathered to handle the situation, the students began filing out, whispering amongst themselves. Some cast hesitant looks at Hamza, but no one dared to speak aloud.
And then, Akansha turned to Hamza.
Akansha took slow, deliberate steps toward him. Her eyes burned with something unreadable, but her voice was eerily calm.
"You know," she began, tilting her head slightly, "I used to think you were one of the smartest people in this university. Logical. Rational. But now? Now, I realize you're just another fool who blindly believes whatever makes him feel better."
Hamza said nothing. He just stood there, looking lost.
Akansha's expression hardened. "You let your grudge cloud your judgment. You let people tear her apart. You let yourself become someone so consumed by anger that you couldn't even recognize the truth staring you in the face. And for what? Because it was easier than believing in her?" She shook her head. "You should be ashamed."
She turned on her heels and walked away, Aarav silently following her.
Hamza's hands clenched at his sides, but he still said nothing.
Siddarth, who had been watching everything unfold, suddenly stepped forward. And without a moment's hesitation, he punched Hamza square in the jaw.
A collective gasp spread through the few remaining students.
Hamza stumbled back, blinking rapidly, as if he had just been shaken out of a trance. His fingers brushed over the corner of his lip, where blood had started pooling.
But he didn't retaliate.
Siddarth's voice was laced with venom. "That was for humiliating her. For tearing her down when she needed someone to stand by her. For proving just how pathetic you really are."
Hamza didn't move, didn't even lift his head. He looked lost in his own destruction.
Siddarth scoffed. "You deserve everything that's happening to you right now. And I hope when you wake up tomorrow, you finally realize that."
With that, Siddarth turned and walked away.
Only Sneha and Rudra remained with Hamza now.
Unlike the others, they didn't lash out. They just stood there, observing him.
"You messed up, man," Rudra finally said, shaking his in disappointment head. "And not just a little. You ruined her image, her confidence, everything. Do you even realize that?"
Hamza's shoulders barely moved.
Sneha sighed equally disappointed. "We're not going to stand here and attack you. But we will tell you this—you need to think about what you've done. Really think about it."
"And until then," Rudra added, "we're giving you space."
With that, they walked away, leaving Hamza standing alone in the now-empty auditorium.
Shumaila barely made it to the dorm.
The moment she entered, she felt her legs go weak. Everything she had been holding in—the pain, the betrayal, the sheer exhaustion—it all came crashing down at once.
She collapsed onto the couch, her shoulders shaking violently.
Komal, who had followed closely behind, didn't say a word. She simply walked over, sat beside her, and pulled her into a hug.
The moment Komal's arms wrapped around her, Shumaila broke completely.
"I—I tried so hard," Shumaila sobbed into her best friend's shoulder. "I worked so hard, Komal. And they just—just ripped it away like it was nothing."
Komal's own eyes burned, but she held her tighter. "I know, Shumaila. I know."
"I hate him," Shumaila whispered, her voice cracking. "I hate him so much. I begged him to believe me, Komal. I begged him. And he just—he let everyone—" She couldn't finish.
Komal gently stroked her hair. "He's an idiot. He's the biggest idiot I've ever seen. But you? You're stronger than this."
Shumaila let out a choked, bitter laugh. "I don't feel strong."
"That's okay," Komal murmured. "Because we'll be strong for you."
At that moment, the door opened, and Akansha and Sneha walked in.
The moment Akansha saw Shumaila's red, tear-streaked face, something in her snapped.
Akansha never let her emotions show. She was always the logical one, the one who stayed composed even in the worst situations.
But seeing her best friend—her Shumaila—completely shattered? (lol, my AK baby)
Her fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palm. She wanted to punch Taniya. She wanted to punch Hamza. She wanted to burn the whole damn world down.
Sneha, on the other hand, immediately rushed to the couch, kneeling beside Shumaila.
"Oh, Shumi," Sneha whispered, brushing a strand of hair away from her friend's face. "I'm so sorry."
Shumaila shook her head, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks.
Without hesitation, both Akansha and Sneha wrapped her in a hug, joining Komal in their silent comfort.
They didn't speak. They didn't need to.
They just held her.
For the rest of the evening, the three girls took care of Shumaila.
They made her eat, even when she protested.
They let her cry, even when it hurt to watch.
They never left her side, even when she told them she'd be fine.
By the time midnight rolled around, none of them wanted to leave her alone.
So instead of going to their separate rooms, they all stayed in the living room.
Shumaila lay curled up on the couch, Komal right beside her, while Sneha and Akansha pulled blankets onto the floor, settling in for the night.
Just before drifting off, Shumaila whispered, "Thank you."
Komal squeezed her hand. "Always."
And in a long time, despite everything, Shumaila didn't feel alone.