The month-long exam season was in full swing, and while some students thrived under pressure, others were barely holding on. Between long study sessions, mental breakdowns, and the stress of balancing life outside academics, the group found themselves struggling to stay sane.
With his torn ACL, Hamza started physiotherapy sessions, though his progress was slow and frustrating.
At first, he struggled with basic exercises, feeling impatient and angry.
Rudra and Aarav often accompanied him, cracking jokes to lighten his mood, but he wasn't easily amused.
His physiotherapist warned him: "Your recovery depends on your mindset. If you keep acting like you're defeated, your body will believe it."
One evening, while walking past the physio center, Shumaila caught sight of Hamza practicing alone. He stumbled slightly, gripping onto the parallel bars for support. Frustration was clear on his face. Before she could stop herself, she muttered loud enough for him to hear—
"For someone who loves a challenge, you sure give up quickly."
Hamza turned toward her, surprised. She never stayed long enough for these kinds of moments.
She crossed her arms, acting indifferent. "Just an observation. Carry on."
And just like that, she was gone.
But the words stuck with him.
Between Hamza's recovery and everyone's academic workload, the group had barely any time to breathe.
Shumaila tutored Sneha and Siddarth, since all three were from Business Majors.
"No, Siddarth, you don't just 'vibe' with numbers! You need to actually calculate!"
"Shumaila, I'm begging you, let me vibe."
"You'll vibe to failure if you don't focus."
Rudra kept sneaking snacks into the library.
"Rudra, that is not a 'silent' snack!"
"Oh, come on! Chips are totally quiet if you eat them slow."
Akansha had a mental breakdown over an Economics chapter, which led to Aarav calming her down.
"Akansha, breathe. You're panicking over two pages of material."
"Because it's confusing!"
"And screaming at it won't help."
Sneha once overslept and had to be dragged by Rudra half-asleep to a study session.
"Why does coffee take so long to kick in?"
"Because your body is powered by sarcasm, not caffeine."
...
As if exams weren't stressful enough, Karan was back to his usual antics, subtly provoking Hamza whenever he got the chance. This time, though, he didn't get away with it easily.
One afternoon, the group was taking a break outside when Karan walked past and casually smirked at Hamza.
"How's the knee, champ? Still enjoying being useless?"
Before Hamza could react, Akansha scoffed loudly.
"Wow, Karan, do you ever get tired of embarrassing yourself?"
Komal smirked, adding, "Must be exhausting, waking up every day just to be this insufferable."
Karan's smirk faltered, but he recovered quickly. "Oh, I see. Hamza got himself some bodyguards now. How cute."
"No," Akansha said, tilting her head. "We just enjoy ruining your day."
"And we do it for free," Komal added cheerfully.
The group snickered, while Karan rolled his eyes, clearly irritated. Then, turning to Shumaila, he smirked.
"I don't suppose you mind talking to me?" (beech got some honda city bruh!)
Hamza, who had been silent, tensed visibly at those words.
Shumaila's eyes flickered toward him before turning down Karan's invitation immediately.
"Not interested."
Komal raised a brow. "That was quick."
Shumaila didn't bother replying and instead glanced at Hamza—who immediately turned red when he realized she caught him watching. He quickly looked away, pretending to focus on his book, but it was too late.
The group, especially Sneha and Rudra, were grinning.
...
After a grueling month of exams, the group finally walked out of their last paper, exhausted but relieved.
"I never want to see another textbook again," Siddarth groaned, stretching his arms.
"Same," Sneha sighed. "I think my brain actually stopped working halfway through that test."
"No more all-nighters," Akansha declared. "At least for a while."
"Let's just go to the cafeteria and eat like normal people," Aarav suggested. "No stress, no last-minute cramming. Just food."
The group agreed instantly, ready to finally relax.
Just as they settled down, their phones buzzed with a university-wide email notification.
"Subject: University Festival 2024 – A Week of Celebration!"
Sneha's eyes widened. "Oh my god. The annual festival!"
"Finally!" Rudra grinned. "Something that isn't exams!"
The festival included music competitions, dance performances, games, and even an inter-departmental talent show.
Komal clapped her hands together. "We have to participate in something!"
Shumaila, already exhausted, sighed. "I'll pass."
Akansha chuckled. "You say that now, but let's see how long that lasts."
The group exchanged excited glances, already brainstorming plans. It was time to put exams behind them and finally have some fun.