Chapter 7 – Part 2: Afternoon Classes
After finishing their lunch and teasing each other about who ate the most, the group made their way back to the Software Engineering block. The campus corridors were alive with students moving between classes, chatting, laughing, and some already forming small friend groups. Arjun led the way, hands tucked into his pockets, his carefree stride catching a few curious glances from other students. Raghav walked beside him, calm and composed, letting the energy of the group flow around him.
"Bet you'll still be hungry in an hour," Aditya joked, adjusting his bag.
"Maybe," Arjun replied with a smirk, "but that's why life is fun, Sharma. You eat. You survive. You conquer."
The group chuckled as they entered their classroom. It was a large hall with long wooden desks and benches stretching across the room. Most of their classmates were already settling in, and the chatter softened as the professor entered.
This afternoon, a new teacher was taking their class—Ms. Priya Nair, a young and energetic instructor with a bright smile and approachable presence. She carried a laptop under her arm and a stack of printed assignments.
"Good afternoon, everyone!" she began, her voice warm and lively. "I'm Ms. Priya Nair, your Software Engineering instructor for this semester. Don't worry—I'm not here to scare you with endless lectures. We'll learn, we'll have fun, and yes, there will be challenges. But I promise… it's going to be interesting."
Arjun leaned toward Raghav, whispering, "Interesting is teacher code for… don't mess around too much."
Raghav smirked lightly. "We'll see about that."
The classroom quieted as she began introducing herself, outlining the course, and explaining the day's practical exercise: a small group coding problem. She paired students up to encourage teamwork, letting them collaborate on simple tasks while she moved between desks to guide and comment.
Arjun immediately found himself paired with Raghav, as expected. Aditi and Megha ended up together, while Aditya and Kunal formed the last pair.
"Alright, let's see how creative you all can get," Ms. Nair said with a playful grin. "Think of this as a puzzle rather than work. There's no wrong answer—only solutions that can be improved."
The exercise began, and soon the classroom was alive with quiet discussion, laughter, and the occasional groan of frustration.
Arjun leaned back in his chair, pretending to think deeply while actually glancing at how others were handling their tasks. "Chauhan, give me a minute. Let me ruin this problem first, then we'll solve it dramatically."
Raghav rolled his eyes, already typing efficiently. "Or… you could just do your part without theatrics."
"Where's the fun in that?" Arjun whispered back.
Across the table, Aditi and Megha were discussing logic, Megha pointing at the screen with careful precision while Aditi typed quickly. Kunal, ever the quiet observer, was taking notes silently.
Aditya, however, was loudly complaining. "How is anyone supposed to get this right on the first try?!"
"By thinking, Sharma," Arjun called out, smirking. "And maybe asking the girl at your table for help."
Aditya shot a glance at Aditi, who was still focused on her code. "I… wasn't talking to you," he mumbled, but the blush creeping onto his cheeks betrayed him.
Ms. Nair noticed the small banter and shook her head with an amused smile. "Looks like we already have some… negotiation happening," she said lightly. "Remember, collaboration works best when everyone contributes."
By the end of the session, Arjun and Raghav had solved their assigned problem, though not without some playful arguments and dramatized explanations in front of the class. Arjun had, of course, turned every simple step into an exaggerated story about heroics and coding mastery, while Raghav quietly ensured the solution was correct.
Ms. Nair walked over, looking at their screen. "Excellent! Not only correct, but I see teamwork—and creativity. Very nice, both of you."
Arjun grinned, leaning back. "All in a day's work, ma'am. All in a day's work."
Raghav simply smiled, keeping his expression calm but pleased.
As the bell rang, signaling the end of the afternoon session, the class packed up, chatting about the exercise and comparing notes. The atmosphere was light, almost festive after a morning filled with nerves and formal introductions.
Outside the classroom, the sun had begun its descent, casting long shadows over the courtyard. Students spilled into the open areas, some heading back to hostels, others lingering to talk and laugh.
Arjun slung his bag over his shoulder and turned to Raghav. "See? That's the kind of teacher I like. Knows her stuff, but doesn't make you feel like you're being interrogated."
Raghav nodded. "She's good. Encourages thinking without pressure."
Aditya ran up, out of breath. "You guys finished again? I was stuck on the last bit forever!"
Arjun grinned. "Then maybe you need less complaining and more… Rathore-style problem solving."
Aditi and Megha walked past, carrying notebooks, glancing briefly at the group. Aditi gave a small, polite smile to Arjun and Raghav, which Arjun returned with a subtle nod.
As they headed toward the hostel, the first day of real campus life—lunch, classes, friends, and playful banter—settled into memory. There was a sense of accomplishment, of camaraderie forming, and a quiet thrill in discovering that the days ahead might hold more fun, challenges, and small victories than they had imagined.
Arjun looked at Raghav with a grin. "Not a bad first day, huh?"
"Not bad at all," Raghav agreed, though his smile was quieter, thoughtful.
And with that, the two walked into the sunset-colored campus, ready to face whatever the next day would bring.