The next morning, the university buzzed with excitement as the Competition officially began. The campus was filled with students from different universities, and banners hung proudly across the halls.
In the common lounge, Komal, Akansha, and Aarav huddled together, discussing their participation.
"Alright, let's finalize this," Komal said, tapping her fingers against the table. "I'm doing debate. That's decided."
"Makes sense," Aarav smirked. "You love arguing."
Komal shot him a glare before turning to Akansha. "And you?"
Akansha hesitated before sighing. "Poetry. I've been working on something, and… I guess this is the right place to perform it."
"That's amazing!" Komal beamed. "And you?" she turned to Aarav.
He stretched lazily. "Art exhibition. I've been working on a piece for weeks. Thought I'd give it a shot."
"Look at us!" Komal grinned. "A trio of talent."
Shumaila, who was seated nearby, raised an eyebrow. "More like a trio of stress."
Akansha rolled her eyes. "You're just mad you're not part of it."
"Trust me," Shumaila smirked, "I'm relieved."
The morning and afternoon were filled with intense performances.
Komal's Debate Round: She dominated the stage with her sharp logic and fiery counterarguments, leading her team to victory.
Akansha's Poetry Performance: She stood on stage, her voice steady, pouring emotions into every line. As she finished, a brief silence followed before the auditorium erupted in applause.
Aarav's Art Exhibition: His painting—a thought-provoking representation of ambition and loss—left the judges impressed.
By the late afternoon, the competition concluded, and the group gathered at the campus café, exhilarated yet exhausted.
"That was insane," Akansha admitted, sipping her drink. "I think my heart is still racing."
"You were amazing," Aarav said sincerely, making her look away, flustered.
"Alright, team," Siddarth leaned forward. "Competition's over. Now, let's talk about the football match."
Football Tournament
The match was scheduled for the evening, allowing the entire group to attend. Excitement mixed with tension as they found their seats in the stadium.
Rudra, already in his jersey, stretched his legs. "First match, and guess what? Our opponent is Karan's university."
The group exchanged glances.
"Of course it is," Komal muttered.
Shumaila frowned. "So, he's playing?"
"He's their team captain," Hamza confirmed, his expression unreadable.
"This isn't going to end well," Siddarth sighed.
The Match Begins.
From the start, Karan played aggressively, pushing limits with every move.
Subtle shoves.
Stepping on Hamza's foot when the referee wasn't looking.
Purposefully targeting him whenever he got the ball.
The group watched tensely, visibly frustrated.
"Why isn't the referee calling anything?!" Akansha fumed.
"Because Karan knows how to get away with it," Aarav muttered.
Then it happened—a brutal tackle that sent Hamza crashing to the ground.
Shumaila instantly stood up, her heart pounding.
"That was intentional!" Komal shouted.
Rudra rushed to Hamza, helping him sit up. But the moment Hamza tried to put weight on his leg, he collapsed again, clutching his knee.
The coach and medical staff rushed onto the field. Hamza's face was twisted in pain.
"Looks like he's done for the match," Siddarth muttered grimly.
Moments later, the medics confirmed the worst: Hamza had torn his ACL.
The group fell silent. The injury meant he wouldn't just be out of this game—he was out of the entire tournament.
With their best player gone, Hamza's team struggled to keep up and ultimately lost the match.
The group gathered around him after the game, worry evident in their expressions.
"You shouldn't have pushed yourself like that," Sneha scolded gently.
Hamza barely reacted. His fists were clenched, his jaw tight. Guilt weighed heavy on him.
"This is on me," he muttered under his breath. "I lost us the game."
Shumaila frowned but said nothing. The group shared concerned glances, knowing that Hamza was already spiraling into self-blame.
And as the night settled, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had let everyone down.