Rhea's Pov
You don't notice betrayal immediately.
It doesn't arrive with dramatic background music.
It arrives as a shift.
Neil stopped sitting properly.
At first, it was small—pulling his chair a little forward. Then answering once or twice in class. Then laughing at jokes from the front benches that weren't even funny.
Samar noticed first.
"Why is Neil suddenly allergic to us?" he whispered.
"He's evolving," I muttered. "Into something disappointing."
Kabir didn't say anything.
That worried me more.
It happened during English.
Mrs. D'Souza—different teacher, same bias—announced an inter-school competition.
"Participants will be selected based on class involvement," she said, eyes already locked on the front benches.
Neil's hand went up.
I blinked.
Samar blinked harder. "Traitor."
Mrs. D'Souza smiled. "Yes, Neil?"
"I'd like to participate, ma'am."
She nodded approvingly. "Good. Finally taking things seriously."
Finally.
The word hit like a slap.
Neil turned back toward us, half-smiling, half-guilty.
Like he expected applause.
Samar looked away.
Kabir closed his notebook slowly.
I felt something crack—not loud, just sharp.
After class, Neil lingered.
"So… it's just a competition," he said lightly. "Doesn't change anything."
Samar laughed once. "Yeah. Neither does sitting in the front now, right?"
Neil frowned. "Come on. Don't be dramatic."
I stood up. "We're not. You are."
He looked at me. "Rhea, you get it. Opportunities don't come twice."
I did get it.
That was the problem.
Kabir finally spoke. "Just don't pretend this is nothing."
Neil's jaw tightened. "I'm not choosing sides."
Kabir met his eyes. "You already did."
Neil left.
The last row felt… incomplete.
It started raining during free period.
Everyone rushed out except me and Kabir.
I stayed because I needed quiet.
Kabir stayed because… Kabir always stayed.
We sat there, rain tapping against the windows like it was eavesdropping.
"You're angry," he said finally.
"I'm tired," I replied. "Anger takes energy."
He nodded. "Neil isn't wrong."
That surprised me.
"He wants more," Kabir continued. "So do you."
I laughed softly. "If I wanted favouritism, I'd fake sincerity and buy highlighters."
Kabir smiled. "You scare people."
"Good."
Silence again.
Comfortable this time.
Then he said, "You did really well in the test."
I looked at him. "You noticed?"
"I always do."
My heart did something inconvenient.
"I don't like unfair advantages," he added. "But I hate wasted potential more."
I turned toward him. "Are you saying I should move to the front row?"
"No," he said immediately. "I'm saying… don't let them define where you belong."
The rain got louder.
"So where do I belong?" I asked.
Kabir looked at me—not the class, not the benches.
"Where you choose," he said quietly.
And for a second, the war, the benches, Neil—
None of it mattered.
Just this.
When the bell rang, the moment broke.
Samar burst in. "BREAKING NEWS. Neil has officially been adopted by the front benches."
I sighed. "Let him."
Kabir stood up. "This is just the beginning."
I watched Neil laughing with them from afar.
Opportunities do change people.
And I was starting to realise—
The real test wasn't academics.
It was loyalty.