"Rakshat Verma"
The moment I heard that name , something inside my mind stirred -- a memory I had tried to bury long ago .
I heard the two girls beside me say
"That Rakshat Verma is coming back to the academy this year"
I don't know why but somehow even though I didn't knew him , but his name sounded familiar as if I have listened about him from someone.
"Someone...."!
And then suddenly
I heard a quiet voice from the past.
A girl sitting beside the window , her eyes fixed on her phone , replaying the same debate video again and again .
"He's really amazing , don't you think"!!
That was kiara
It was kiara's voice
Two years ago...
We three were Fourteen
Old enough to understand the world a little...but still too young to see how cruel it could be.
Kiara was always the quiet one among us
While Rishab and I argued over the smallest things , she would just sit by the window and smile softly as if the chaos around her never really touched her .
One afternoon I noticed her staring at her phone and replaying a video again and again.
"You're watching that debate video again"
Rishab asked with a sigh
" If you like watching debates this much... Risha and I can just have one in front of you . But this time , I'll definitely win.
Rishab teased her.
Kiara always helped others.
We both admired her a lot ...or maybe we simply loved her too much to ever say it loud.
She was always the most mature one amongst us.
But kiara's behaviour those days was unexpectedly surprising for us
She always use to talk about that guy and constantly praised his debating skills .
For me , it never felt like a coincidence , I knew kiara ...she was never the kind of girl who would admire someone without a reason.
Nothing was clear back then...
Or maybe we were just so happy back then that we never wanted anything to be clear .
Back then , it seemed harmless
Kiara's death was many things...tragic, sudden and unexplained.
But coincidence was never one of them.
Still , I had nothing except a name she once mentioned - Rakshat Verma
And I have never believed in accusations without proof.
The memory faded slowly.
The classroom around me came back into focus.
"You're thinking about her again... aren't you"?
Rishab's voice broke the silence
I looked at him he was leaning against the desk beside mine, his expression softer than usual as if he knew that I was hurt inside.
"Kiara wouldn't like seeing you like this"
He said quietly
I didn't reply
A tear ran down my eyes...I knew kiara wasn't happy seeing me like this but... I just feel like my heart starts aching when i think about her.
I controlled my emotions... I didn't wanted anyone to see me cry!!
Then suddenly ,
Teacher arrived
It was our physics class !
The classroom suddenly filled with the sound of turning pages and scraping chairs.
Some students were already taking notes seriously, while others looked half asleep and I was one of them .
"Uhhhh...I absolutely hate this subject", I said to myself.
"You say that every year "
Rishab whispered from the seat beside me
I glanced at him but he didn't reply
"Atleast pretend to listen. If the teacher asks you something , I'm not saving you this time"
I raised an eyebrow
"You never save me anyway"
"Exactly"
He said with a faint smirk
The teacher had just started explaining something on the board when suddenly there was a knock on the classroom door.
The sound was soft… but for some reason the entire class seemed to go quiet.
The teacher stopped writing and turned around.
"Come in."
The door opened slowly.
A tall figure stepped inside, his golden badge catching the light from the windows.
Vidyantsh Verma.
A faint murmur spread across the classroom.
I noticed a few students instantly sitting straighter in their chairs.
Some of them even lowered their eyes as if they didn't want his attention.
The teacher's expression also changed slightly, though she tried to maintain her usual calm.
"Yes, Mr. Verma?" she asked.
Vidyantsh's gaze moved across the classroom slowly.
For a brief moment… it stopped on me.
For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
There was something unsettling about the way he looked at people — calm, unreadable, almost cold.
My fingers tightened around the edge of the desk.
I quickly looked away, pretending to focus on the notebook in front of me.
But for some reason… I could still feel his eyes on me.
His gaze shifted back to the teacher.
"Apologies for the interruption, ma'am," he said calmly.
The teacher nodded slightly, allowing him to continue.
Vidyantsh turned toward the class.
"I'm here on behalf of the Golden Council to inform you about an important announcement."
The entire classroom fell silent.
"This week, the academy will be conducting a student evaluation and guidance program."
A few students exchanged curious glances.
"As part of this program, there will be a workshop on future career opportunities, as well as a mental health awareness session."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Both sessions will be conducted by a renowned psychologist invited by the academy."
The whispers in the classroom slowly began to grow louder.
Vidyantsh ignored them completely.
"Attendance will be mandatory for all students."
As the door closed behind him, the whispers in the classroom slowly returned.
But my mind wasn't on the workshop… or the announcement anymore.
It was on a single name echoing in my head again.
Rakshat Verma.