She hadn’t lifted her head even once the entire way. All she knew was that she somehow needed to reach her room—nothing beyond that mattered. She had shared her address and, after that, had completely curled into herself in the seat, as if trying to disappear. A strange fear still gripped her, her breath was uneven and erratic, and tears continued to stream down her face. Everything around her seemed to terrify her; even the breeze flowing in through the car window was making her restless. She quickly rolled up the glass to shut it out.

It was only when the car halted with a sudden jerk that she finally looked around; she had reached her chawl (tenement).

She stepped out quickly, hurrying her pace as if she wanted to reach her room in just one second. Without looking back, she ran up the stairs, reached her room, and slammed the door shut behind her. Sliding down the door, she collapsed onto the floor. She didn’t try to hold back anymore, loud sobs burst from her chest. Her breath hitched again and again, as if each one would be her last. Her heart kept pounding, and even though her tears had already soaked her cheeks, her crying showed no signs of stopping.

Meanwhile, Taksh, who had followed her car, arrived at the chawl. He had been meaning to leave, but seeing her shut the door like that, he rushed straight toward her room. One look at her face earlier had been enough for him to gauge the condition she was in. Although he still felt anger simmering inside him, he also understood what she might be experiencing. He stood outside her door, and her crying was clearly audible to him.

Listening to her break down like that, something inside him softened. He pressed his palm gently against the door, as if trying to feel her presence through it, and whispered to himself in a low, aching voice:

“Did I punish you too harshly?… But it was your fault too... Who walks into such a dangerous place knowing how risky it is? You’re not in your senses right now, and you don't even understand the danger. You should have thought twice. I have to talk to you. I get why you did what you did… I really do. From tomorrow, I’ll make sure nothing bothers you anymore, that's a promise.”

He stood there quietly for a few more minutes, her sobs still echoing in his ears. Her voice gradually faded, leading him to surmise that she had likely cried herself to sleep. Taking soft steps, he moved closer to the door, gently reaching out to push it open, but at the last moment, he stopped. He withdrew his hand, pivoted, and descended the stairs, silently leaving the building.

Even after sitting on his bike, he kept staring back at her window for a while. It was as if he couldn’t bring himself to leave her in that condition. But he finally revved the engine and sped away, knowing that the longer he stayed, the harder it would be to let go.

As he drove through the streets, his heart and mind were locked in a conflict:

“You’ve suddenly become this overwhelming part of my life... Day and night, whether I’m eating, working, or trying to sleep, all I can think about is you... This has never happened before… and why it’s happening only with you … that even I can’t explain. But the moment I saw you in the club, when you were selling drugs… something inside me just snapped. Right then and there, I decided—no matter what it takes, I will protect you from all of this. I won't ever let anything bad happen to you.”

~~~~

The next day, Jheel entered her classroom. Today, the class was unusually full, almost all the girls were seated at the front. It was a surprising sight, but without giving it much thought, she walked to the back and quietly took her seat.

As soon as Taksh walked into the classroom, his eyes instantly searched for Jheel and found her. He noticed the puffiness around her eyes, the slight redness, a clear sign that she had cried a lot. He turned his gaze toward the whiteboard, began writing the topic for the day, and casually scanned the classroom. He easily noticed how the girls had put on extra makeup today and were eagerly sitting up front.

Leaning slightly against his desk, he addressed the class in a firm but calm voice:

“Today’s topic is short we’ll spend just 15 minutes on it. I do not want to stretch it even a minute beyond that. But whatever I explain in these 15 minutes, I want it etched clearly in your minds. After that, we’ll use the next 15 minutes to review what I taught yesterday and right now. I will ask questions, and I want you to know your answers.”

After saying this, he scanned the faces in front of him. Some of the girls gave coy smiles, thinking perhaps he was joking. He, however, smiled lightly and began the topic with professional ease.

As he taught, he noticed Jheel taking detailed notes, her attention entirely on the subject. It impressed him. He began walking around the classroom, pausing by her side, and looking over her notebook. Seeing the neat and thorough notes she had made brought a soft smile to his face, and he continued explaining the topic with more energy while walking again.

Others in the class noticed how he looked at Jheel’s notes, and suddenly many of them scrambled to take out their notebooks and pretend to be writing too. Taksh, meanwhile, kept observing each student with his usual sharp gaze.

One particular girl was fiddling with her pen and pretending to write while doing absolutely nothing. Taksh walked over and stood in front of her. Flustered, she instantly leaned over her notebook, acting as though she was paying full attention and taking notes.

Without saying a word, Taksh reached over, picked up her notebook, and opened it. The page was blank except for some doodles.

He smirked, shook his head slightly, and then resumed teaching as if nothing happened. However, his subsequent action was unmistakable. He raised the empty notebook for the entire class to see and, finishing the topic, slammed it down on the desk with a sharp thud.

“There are no shortcuts to learning. And anyone who thinks they can get by with shortcuts should leave this class right now. I’m giving a clear warning to everyone, from tomorrow, don’t come to my class if you’re not serious. You’re here because you worked hard to clear CAT. You’ve struggled to get here, and if, after coming this far, you choose to waste your time, then it’s your loss. The way I teach is very simple, I make sure everyone understands what I’m explaining. Teaching is something I’m passionate about, and that’s why I’m here…. Yes, most of you know I’m a businessman, but my problem is this, when I come here, I do so because I love teaching. And if even a single student doesn’t take it seriously, it really disappoints me…. Because all my life, I’ve known only one thing, hard work. I’ve never believed in shortcuts.”

A heavy silence fell over the classroom. Everyone turned to look at the girl who had caused this entire disruption. Embarrassed beyond words, she lowered her head in shame, unable to meet anyone’s eyes. Taksh walked back to his desk, leaned against it slightly, and immediately began asking questions related to the topic.

Some students tried to answer, but most of them stumbled here and there. Their uncertainty only fueled Taksh’s growing frustration, his irritation was visible to everyone. Suddenly, he turned toward Jheel and pointed at her.

“You… You were taking notes, right?… It seemed like you were listening very attentively. Now explain today’s topic to the class the same way I did.”

Jheel looked around at the entire class, her eyes finally settling on Taksh. She replied in a soft, hesitant voice.

“Sir… Can you give me two minutes?”

Her voice was barely audible. Taksh, who already knew the emotional state she was in, simply nodded in understanding. The room went completely still.

Jheel closed her eyes, and it was as though everything she had heard started playing back in her mind. Then, slowly but steadily, she began pointing out the topic exactly the way Taksh had taught it, even giving a few points for some of his explanations.

As she spoke, a smile started forming on Taksh’s face. The class looked on, some smiling, others stunned, as Jheel confidently moved through every key point. As Taksh’s expressions shifted with admiration, everyone in the class took notice.

He also keenly observed that Jheel still had her eyes closed, she wasn’t reading from her notebook. She was speaking entirely from memory, describing the topic with clarity, adding a few of her points to better explain the concept. It was evident she had understood it deeply.

When she finally opened her eyes and looked at Taksh, he gently clapped once. And in that very moment, the entire class erupted into applause. Taksh folded his arms across his chest and addressed Jheel again.

“Confidence is essential for anything you do. This class really tested my patience today, but if you can look into my eyes and explain yesterday's topic as well, my anger will end right here. Confidence… there should be no fear when you know your subject.”

Jheel became visibly nervous hearing this. But her classmates started signaling to her, encouraging her silently to say yes. Although she had not yet met any of them personally, she could sense their silent support. She looked around, bit her lip, ran her tongue nervously over it, and then turned to Taksh.

Slowly, she began to speak, recalling the previous day’s topic, now explaining it with growing ease and fluency. Her voice steadied, her delivery became clearer, and Taksh listened attentively.

The other students, too, focused entirely on what Jheel was saying; not only was she explaining it well, but her way of breaking down the concept made it easier to understand.

Taksh started walking toward her, his steps measured and quiet. But Jheel didn’t pause or lose her focus; she kept speaking directly to him, fully immersed in the topic. Taksh came to a stop right in front of her. She looked at him, and he watched her carefully, admiring her poise. As soon as she finished, a deep silence returned to the room.

Jheel also fell silent.

But the way Taksh was looking at her made it impossible for her to look away. His gaze was unwavering. Then he tilted his head slightly and gave a small smirk.

“Impressive…”

As soon as he said it, the class burst into applause again. Jheel smiled shyly and looked around the classroom. Everyone was smiling, some giving her a thumbs-up in appreciation for the way she had handled it, not just for her explanation, but for saving them all from Taksh’s wrath. No one wanted to risk angering Taksh again. As he walked back to his seat, Taksh turned and said to Jheel:

“I like your concentration and learning. The way you added your own points and expanded the topic… that was really good. I’d like you to come meet me in my cabin after this period. I need to talk to you. I admire brilliant students, and the college has some excellent programs and facilities for students like you. I want to discuss something important related to that. So meet me after this class.”

As soon as Taksh said this, the room’s atmosphere shifted. Everyone understood that Jheel had just saved the day. Some were genuinely happy for her, while others, especially a few girls who had tried their best to impress Taksh earlier, looked a little annoyed and envious. They exchanged glances, silently judging her for getting that kind of attention.

Yet Jheel remained unaware of their envy. Taksh, meanwhile, resumed his teaching for the remaining time, casually discussing a few more points related to the topic. And just as the bell rang, marking the end of the period, he turned to Jheel once more and said with quiet authority:

“Come fast…”