Jeevika sat in her usual spot by the window, trying to bury herself in the pages of her notes, but her focus was scattered. She tapped her pen against the desk, her mind still lingering on her earlier encounter with Arjun Raichand. That guy, she thought, her jaw tightening. The way he had looked at her—like she was nothing more than a speck in his privileged world—was enough to set her blood boiling.
As the instructor entered, Jeevika forced herself to focus. The UPSC was her priority. Mujhe sirf apne exams pe dhyaan dena hai—nothing else mattered. She glanced around the room, spotting Arjun at the back, casually leaning in his chair, barely paying attention. His expensive watch glinted under the fluorescent lights, a subtle reminder of his wealth.
The irritation gnawed at her again. How could someone like him—someone who clearly didn’t care—be in the same race as her?
The class began, and the instructor’s voice filled the room, but Jeevika’s attention kept drifting. Usko kya farq padta hoga?
she thought bitterly, Aise log ke paas toh sab kuch hota hai—paise, resources, har cheez. Hum jaise logon ke liye yeh sab kuch kitna mushkil hai, aur unke liye bas ek aur mauka.
Jeevika scribbled down some notes, her handwriting growing harsher with each word, but her mind kept pulling her back to Arjun. His aloofness, his confidence—it all irritated her. Focus, Jeevika, she told herself, gripping her pen tightly. Woh koi farq nahi padta. Tumhe apna sapna dekhna hai, aur tumhe bas apne sapne tak pahuncha hai.
Suddenly, the instructor called her name, breaking her concentration. "Jeevika, aap iska jawab dena pasand karengi?" His tone was expectant, but Jeevika had been too lost in her thoughts to catch the question.
She stood up slowly, eyes darting to the board as she tried to make sense of the situation. "Uhh..." she hesitated, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. The room went silent as the other students turned to look at her.
From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Arjun, leaning back with a slight smirk on his face. Her frustration flared.
"It’s okay, Jeevika," the instructor encouraged, though she could hear the impatience in his voice. "You know the answer."
Taking a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders and nodded. "Ji sir, jawab hai ki—," she began, giving a concise answer about the topic. The instructor seemed satisfied, but Jeevika could still feel Arjun’s gaze on her. His presence was like a thorn in her side, a reminder of everything that stood between her and her goal.
As she sat back down, her phone buzzed. It was Anamika.
“Aur madam, kaise chal rahi hai class? Kitne logo ko impress kiya?”
Jeevika smiled despite herself. Her sister always knew how to lighten her mood. She quickly typed back.
“Class toh thik hai, bas ek idiot se takra gayi thi subah.”
Anamika’s reply came instantly.
“Idiot? Koi ladka toh nahi?”
Jeevika rolled her eyes, but a smirk tugged at her lips.
“It’s nothing like that. Bas ek rich, entitled type ka banda, jo irritate kar raha hai.”
As the next lecture began, Jeevika tried to refocus. But her gaze wandered once again to the back of the room. Arjun was still sitting there, unbothered, as if this was all beneath him. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of frustration. He didn’t have to work for this the way she did. Everything seemed to come so easily to people like him.
When the class ended, Jeevika hurried out of the room, hoping to avoid any further encounters. But just as she stepped into the corridor, she heard a familiar voice behind her.
"Phir se bhag rahi ho?"
Jeevika froze. Nahi yaar, yeh phir se aa gaya. She turned around slowly, and there he was—Arjun, with that same smug expression on his face.
"Shayad tumhe pata nahi hai," Arjun continued, his tone casual but laced with arrogance, "Lekin zindagi mein sab kuch bhag kar nahi jeeta ja sakta."
Jeevika’s eyes narrowed. "Aur shayad tumhe pata nahi hai ki sab kuch paison se kharida bhi nahi ja sakta."
His smile faltered just a bit, but he quickly recovered. "Toh tum samajhti ho ki tumhari mehnat se sab kuch mil jayega?"
"Main kam se kam koshish toh kar rahi hoon," Jeevika shot back, stepping closer, "Unlike some people who think they’re entitled to everything."
Arjun’s gaze darkened for a moment, but then he shrugged. "Dekhte hai kaun kitna aage jaata hai."
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Jeevika standing there, her fists clenched by her sides. Is ladke ko toh... she thought, her irritation boiling over.
But she couldn’t let him distract her. Not now. Not ever. Mujhe bas apne raste pe chalna hai, she reminded herself. Aur woh koi farq nahi padta.
As she walked out of the building, the city buzzed around her, the same chaotic energy she thrived in. She had come too far to let anyone, especially someone like Arjun Raichand, get in her way.
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